Black Voters Played Role In Proposition 8

California's Proposition 8, an amendment to the state constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, was a hard-fought contest and its passage is still not certain (this has been updated.

It appears that black voters played a significant role in its passage. According to exit polls, black turnout was up in California this year, constituting ten percent of the electorate there this year compared to six percent four years ago. According to the CBS News Election and Survey unit's analysis, black voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of Prop. 8 – by a 70 percent to 30 percent margin. Hispanic voters overall favored the measure as well but only by a 53 percent to 47 percent margin. White voters were slightly on the side of approving it, 51 percent to 49 percent.