JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Thursday the secretary of state has a duty to place a proposed state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on the August ballot -- a victory for Democrats seeking to steer the contentious issue away from the November general election.

The court's 6-1 decision didn't directly order Republican Secretary of State Matt Blunt to place the issue on the August ballot, but said he should.

"The secretary of state has a duty to take such actions as are necessary, in an expedited manner, to prepare (the amendment) for submission to the people of Missouri at the August 3, 2004, election in accordance with the governor's proclamation," the court said.

Blunt said that he will put the amendment banning gay marriage on the August ballot.

Democratic Gov. Bob Holden called for an August vote -- as opposed to the standard November election -- shortly after legislators passed the proposed amendment to the state constitution.

But Blunt, who is running against Holden, contended he could not follow the governor's wishes, because Republican legislative leaders did not send him the officially passed version of the amendment until after a May 25 deadline to provide notice to local election officials of items to appear on the August ballot.

Many political observers believe a November election could hurt Democrats, because the socially conservative backers of the gay marriage ban would be likely to vote for Republicans, including President Bush and Blunt. A vote during the August party primaries would diffuse any political advantage because Democrats and Republicans are not pitted against each other.

Missouri already has a law against gay marriage. But legislators last month also passed a proposed one-sentence addition to the state constitution: "That to be valid and recognized in this state, a marriage shall exist only between a man and a woman."

Kansas Ministers Rally Vote After Same-Sex Amendment Fails

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Nearly 100 Johnson County, Kan., ministers rallied Thursday in support of an effort to get rid of Kansas lawmakers who voted against a proposed state constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.

"I don't hate gay people," said the Rev. Jerry Johnston, of the First Family Church in Overland Park. "I love all people. But this issue goes beyond homosexuality.

"This is a symptom of the moral corrosion of this country," he said. "MTV is getting a gay program. When is this going to stop?"

Johnston said Thursday's session was just the beginning of a statewide battle. Similar meetings to rally support for the drive have already been held in the Wichita area.

"It's our responsibility as clergymen to allow the people of faith to be cognizant of that, so that it affects their voting in the future," he said.

After the Kansas House voted last month against putting the constitional amendment before state voters, a group of prominent Kansas ministers vowed to rally their congregations to defeat those lawmakers who opposed the ban.

The ministers have set a goal of registering 100,000 new Kansas voters before the Aug. 3 primary, and information about how to register members of their congregations was provided at Thursday's meeting.

The ministers were to have heard from Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, but he was in Oakley on Thursday for the funeral of Sen. Stan Clark. The Republican lawmaker was killed Saturday in a traffic accident on Interstate 70 in western Kansas.

Additional Resources:

Timeline: Mo. Gay Marriage Laws

On the Net:

Constitution Defense League

PROMO: Personal Rights of Missourians

Coalition To Protect Marriage