But, unlike in Connecticut, Massachusetts and California, where gay marriage was upheld by the courts, Florida has already outlawed same-sex marriages in state statutes.

That's not enough, argued Stemberger, head of yes2marriage.org and other organizations asking voters to approve the amendment. The constitutional provision is necessary to prevent judges from permitting gays to marry, he said. The result in other states, Stemberger said, is "an affront to parents' rights."

A Massachusetts couple, Robb and Robin Wirthlin, appeared with Stemberger and others at a press conference this morning promoting Amendment 2.

The Wirthlins said they were dismayed to learn that their son's second-grade teacher read from a book, King and King, in which a prince falls in love with and marries another prince after rejecting a series of princesses.

The Wirthlins lost a federal lawsuit seeking to have the school notify them before similar materials were read or discussed so they could have their son "opt out" of the instruction. They lost the suit.

The "social consequences trickle down to the lowest levels of society," Robb Wirthlin said. "If we had $1 million to give a campaign, we'd do it."

Massachusetts law, however, differs from Florida's. Voters in Massachusetts approved a constitutional amendment permitting same-sex marriages four years ago. The legislature failed to overturn that last year.

Stemberger also dismissed an elections complaint filed yesterday by amendment opponents, Florida Red and Blue, accusing him of using contributions to another organization to pay for campaign ads and failing to disclose the donors.

"We've done everything legal. If our opponents don't like it then they'll have to change the law," he said.