SAN FRANCISCO — Spending for and against a ballot initiative that would outlaw same-sex marriage in California surpassed $73 million, almost twice the total that was spent in the 24 states where similar measures were put to voters since 2004, campaign-finance records show.
Opponents of Proposition 8 had a slight lead in contributions as of late Monday, having raised $37.6 million. Supporters of the gay-marriage ban had raised $35.8 million.
A little less than $33 million was spent on campaigns to pass or defeat gay-marriage bans in the 24 states where they appeared on ballots in 2004, 2005 and 2006, according to the National Organization on Money in State Politics.
Experts have said the California measure was the most expensive social-issue campaign in U.S. history and was the costliest election this year outside of the race for the White House.
About 30 percent, or $22 million, of the donations reported by supporters and opponents of Proposition 8 came from outside the state, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.
The most out-of-state money came from Utah, where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encouraged faithful Mormons to support Proposition 8. Of the $3.6 million in Utah contributions, $2.6 million went to committees backing the measure.
Of the $51 million given by California contributors, less than $550,000 separated the totals raised by the two sides in the emotional election. The latest polls suggest the outcome of Tuesday’s vote could be equally close, with voters inclined to back and those intending to oppose Proposition 8 separated by as little as 5 percentage points.
The respective campaigns, which argued in recent weeks over what the measure would do and who it would hurt, grew even more contentious on Monday.
The Anti-Defamation League issued a statement criticizing a Yes on 8 spokesman for making a comparison between what gay-marriage opponents face and the tactics of Adolf Hitler. The sponsors of the gay-marriage ban shot back by criticizing a new ad from the No on 8 campaign that compared the discrimination facing same-sex couples to the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.
Clerks offices throughout California reported issuing large numbers of marriage licenses on Friday and Monday to gay couples who opted to tie the knot in case the initiative passes.
