Recent public polls have shown voters are leaning against Proposition 8, the anti-gay marriage initiative, but at least one official with No on 8 Equality for All, the coalition leading the effort against the proposal, believes the situation is still urgent, calling for more financial and volunteer support to ensure defeat of the measure.

"I can't reinforce enough how important it is for people to give early and give often to the campaign. ... Our capacity is only as great as the resources allow us to be," said Julie Davis, Northern California campaign director for No on 8.

As the campaign prepares to kick into high gear with efforts to educate voters and sway those who are undecided, supporters of Prop 8, who had been lagging behind in efforts to raise the money needed to reach out to the state's voters, now appear to be slightly ahead of opponents.

According to data filed with the secretary of state's office, Prop 8 supporters have raised at least $11.9 million, while opponents have raised at least $11.6 million. Even in parts of the Bay Area, contributions indicate there's a tough battle ahead.

Labor Day traditionally marks when political campaigns get into full swing, and No on 8 will be communicating with voters through advertising, phone banks, and house parties.

Since May, three polls have been released showing a slim majority of voters oppose Prop 8. The most recent poll, released Wednesday, August 27 by the Public Policy Insitute of California, found that 54 percent of the state's likely voters oppose the measure, while only 40 percent favor it.

However, Davis said the campaign's internal polls actually show the two sides are "neck and neck" and "there's definitely a risk of complacency."

Davis said that as Prop 8 supporters have raised millions of dollars quickly, opponents of the measure have had to increase their goal. "We need to raise a minimum of $20 million," she said.

Advertising

While both sides have declined to say how much they've spent on recent ad buys, the figures are likely in the millions.

Davis said the campaign has secured media time starting two weeks before Election Day. Ads are expected to run in markets around the state.

"We want to be up as soon as we possibly can be," Davis said. "The more money we get, the more TV time we'll be able to buy." She said October will be a key time for ads, because more people will be paying attention to the election.

Davis also said that it's important to talk to voters "about how this would be fundamentally taking away rights from lesbian and gay couples" and how "passage of Prop 8 would do harm to people in their community."

Phone banking

Besides ads, the campaign is also reaching out to voters over the phone. Callers are gauging their support, and working on turning undecided voters into committed "no" voters.

Davis said the percentage of voters who are undecided is "very fluid." Some polls show gaps as small as 8 percent, while others show proportions as big as 20 percent, she said, noting that between now and Election Day, the campaign aims to identify 285,000 undecided voters and persuade them to vote "no."

Davis said phone banking is more effective than "randomly knocking on doors," referring to the door-to-door campaign of Prop 8 supporters. The No on 8 campaign is also encouraging supporters of same-sex marriage to hold house parties in order to raise funds

Mixed contributions

If donations are any indication, Contra Costa County could be a trouble spot for the No on 8 campaign. A recent Los Angeles Times contribution chart indicates Prop 8's supporters in the East Bay county have contributed about $347,000, while opponents have contributed only about $23,000.

Davis said, "We have not been out there yet," explaining it's "a matter of resources." However, she said, they're getting set to help organize house parties, and line up endorsements and speaking engagements.

Asked about the financial gap between supporters and opponents, Ben-David Barr, executive director of the Rainbow Community Center of Contra Costa County, said, "I think we still have a lot of work to do to get organized in Contra Costa County."

Barr said many people who live in the area, including LGBTs, are couples raising children and are spread out geographically. "We don't have a Castro or any kind of a central site to be organized around," he said. Barr also said the county just recently had it's first gay Pride event.

On October 18 the center will have a community dance at the Pacheco Community Center. He said the hope is that people will be inspired to get involved, make donations, and pick up lawn signs and bumper stickers.

Leslie Stewart, a straight ally who is the county chapter leader for Marriage Equality USA, a member of the No on 8 coalition, said "We have a number of LGBT couples in our area, but some of them have come to Contra Costa to blend into the suburban surroundings," and they're not looking for "the activist experience."

Stewart said things have definitely changed since the passage of Prop 22 in 2000, which won with 61 percent of the vote and holds that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." That measure is part of the state's family code, not the state constitution. Prop 8 would amend the state constitution.

She said when she talks to people about same-sex marriage, there seems to be more recognition and more affirmation, "or at least tolerance" of what she's talking about. She also said 50 to 75 people came to the courthouse in June, mostly from Contra Costa County, to counterprotest same-sex marriage opponents who'd come to demonstrate.

"I think we are going to find our community is supportive," Stewart said. "We're waiting for lawn signs and bumper stickers to come in. I think we're going to find loving homes for those when they arrive."

Prop 8 supporters from Santa Clara County have contributed almost $191,000, while opponents have contributed close to $110,000, according to the Times.

Aejaie Sellers, executive director of the Billy DeFrank Center in San Jose, which has been hosting phone banking, said while more people who want to get involved are welcome, she thinks the campaign is going well.

Referring to the No on 8 campaign, Sellers said, "We couldn't ask for more support."