Proposition 8, a Constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in California, appears to have passed by a comfortable margin at the end of a particularly contentious campaign.

Support for the initiative was especially strong in Riverside County, garnering more than 62.6 percent of the vote as of early Wednesday morning.

The initiative is in response to a California Supreme Court ruling that overturned a March 2000 ban on same-sex marriage that passed with 61 percent of the vote.

Prop. 8 will establish that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid in California.

Proponents of the measure raised more than $37 million, while those against Prop. 8 raised more than $61 million.

Republicans and religious conservatives strongly supported the measure, while Democrats and San Francisco area residents opposed it based on their contention that it does not guarantee equality for same-sex relationships or provide equal protection under the Constitution for gays.

Prop. 8 supporters argued that the court should not have the ability to overturn the will of the voters and say that Prop. 8 does not take away any currently existing rights or benefits from gay domestic partners.

Prop. 2, related to confining farm animals, passed on Tuesday and will take effect in 2015. It prohibits ranchers from keeping chickens and other animals in cages that are too small for them to move about in. Violations of the law will result in a $1,000 fine.

Prop. 4 would require doctors to notify parents or guardians when minors Advertisement

Ace Hardware - Temecula seek an abortion. Voters rejected similar initiatives in 2005 and 2006 but appear to have passed this measure, according to results as of Wednesday morning.

Proposition 9 also has been approved by the state’s voters. It will require notification to victims and the opportunity for input during the various phases of the justice process, including bail, pleas, sentencing and parole. It also would have victim safety be considered for bail or parole.

Prop. 1A will raise $10 billion for a high-speed rail system, while Prop. 3 will allocate $980 million to renovate children’s hospitals. Both measures appeared to be successful as of early Wednesday.

Prop. 12, which would provide for a bond issue of nearly $900 million to give farm and home aid to veterans, was also approved.

Voters also supported Prop. 11, a measure that will authorize a bipartisan commission to draw State Assembly, Senate and Board of Equalization districts.

Prop. 5, a ballot measure designed to divert drug offenders from prison into treatment programs, was defeated.

Those in favor claimed that it would have reduced prison overcrowding and provided an easier path to rehabilitation. Those opposed to Prop. 5 said it would shorten parole for methamphetamine dealers from three years to six months.

California voters strongly rejected the measure.

Voters also rejected Prop. 6, which would have enhanced penalties for gang crimes and allowed gang members as young as 14 to be tried as adults.

Two alternative energy initiatives, Propositions 7 and 10, were unsuccessful.