2000 Alabama Amendment 2

2000 Alabama Amendment 2, also known as the Alabama Interracial Marriage Amendment, was a proposed amendment to the Alabama Constitution to remove Alabama's ban on interracial marriage. Interracial marriage had already been legalized nationwide, following Loving v. Virginia.[2] The amendment was approved with around 60% of the vote, though numerous counties voted against it.[1]

Amendment 2

Alabama Interracial Marriage Amendment
Results
Response Votes % Yes 801,725 59.49% No 545,933 40.51% Total votes 1,347,658 100.00%
Yes   80–90%   70–80%   60–70%   50–60% No   60–70%   50–60%
Source: Alabama Secretary of State[1]

Contents

The amendment appeared on the ballot as follows:[3]

Proposed Statewide Amendment Number 2

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to abolish the prohibition of interracial marriages. (Proposed by Act No. 1999-321[lower-alpha 1])

Results

Proposal 2[1]

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	801,725	59.49
No	545,933	40.51
Total votes	1,347,658	100.00

The amendment was approved, with about 60% of the vote. Numerous counties with high white populations voted against the amendment, while counties with high black populations voted for it.[4][5]

Aftermath

Alabama was the last state to repeal anti-miscegenation laws.[6]

Alabama's miscegenation ban was compared to its gay marriage ban, especially after it was also ruled unconstitutional in Obergefell v. Hodges. Alabama's gay marriage ban was approved in 2006 with 80% of the vote, passing in every county.[7]

Notes

1. Alabama constitutional amendments are proposed by the legislature before appearing on ballots

References

1. "Results" (PDF). www.sos.alabama.gov. 2000. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
2. Owens, Gene (October 23, 2000). "Alabama Voters To Decide Fate Of Miscegenation Ban". The Pew Charitable Trusts. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
3. "Proposed Constitutional Amendments". Alabama Secretary of State. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
4. Suzy Hansen (March 8, 2001). "Mixing it up". Salon. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
5. "Alabama removes ban on interracial marriage". USA Today. November 7, 2000. Archived from the original on September 14, 2002. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
6. Srikanth, Anagha (June 12, 2020). "The origins of Loving Day explained". The Hill. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
7. Blake, Aaron (February 5, 2015). "Alabama was a final holdout on desegregation and interracial marriage. It could happen again on gay marriage". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 10, 2020.