The first map in the series shows the spatial distribution
of donations for "no on 8" (oppose ban) in California
by zipcode. The heights are based on total dollar amount and darker colors
indicate a higher number of contributors. The subset maps compare donations in Northern and Southern California. Seven
out of the top ten counties with the highest amount of pro-gay marriage
donations came from Northern California. The county with the highest total
donation and largest number of contributors to "no on 8" was Los Angeles. Interestingly, Los Angeles County voted for "yes on 8" (support ban) by a mere 0.20%.
The second map in the series shows the spatial distribution of donations for "yes on 8" (support ban) in California by zipcode. The heights are based on total dollar amount and darker colors indicate a higher number of contributors. The subset maps compare donations in Northern and Southern California. The top five counties with the highest amount of donations to “yes on 8” all came from Southern California. The county with the highest total donations to “yes on 8” was Orange County. In addition to being the county with the largest number of contributors to "no on 8" (oppose ban), Los Angeles was also the county with the largest number of contributors to “yes on 8”.
The following maps show a comparison between donations to "no on 8" (oppose ban) and to "yes on 8" (support ban) in San Diego,
Orange, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Alameda and Sacramento Counties. The
heights are based on total dollar amount and darker colors indicate a higher
number of contributors. Since there are donations to both no and yes in most
zipcodes, I have included inset maps for each side. The larger county maps are
a combination of donations to both no and yes; whether or not the region is colored blue or red depends on
which side donated more. I have also included graphs that shows how the county
voted and which side spent more money.
The donation and voting data shows San Diego County as predominantly against marriage equality. The
largest amount of money donated to "no on 8" (oppose ban) came from Mission Hills followed by the 92104 and 92116 zipcodes
in City of San Diego. Interestingly, the second largest sum of money donated to
"yes on 8" (support ban) came from 92120
in City of San Diego, a zipcode adjacent to 92104 and 92116. The largest amount
of money donated to "yes on 8" came
from La Jolla from a small amount of contributors. Other areas with high
contributions to "yes on 8" include El
Cajon, Poway, Fallbrook, Carlsbad, Encinitas and Rancho Penasquitos.
The donation and voting data shows Orange County is predominantly against marriage equality as well.
Even the most liberal area of Orange County, Laguna Beach, received over three
times as much money to "yes on 8" (support
ban) as to "no on 8" (oppose ban).
The largest amount of money donated to "yes on
8" came from Irvine and the highest number of contributors to "yes on 8" came from Fountain Valley, Laguna
Niguel, Rancho Santa Margarita and Yorba Linda. The majority of Orange County
donated to and voted for “yes on 8”.
Los Angeles County
donated over 11 million dollars to "no on 8" (oppose ban), twice as much as was donated to "yes
on 8" (support ban), but “yes on 8” prevailed
by just 2385 votes. The largest sums of money donated to "no on 8" were from Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and
Hollywood. The largest number of contributors to "no on 8" came from Long Beach, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Hollywood and
Beverly Hills. The largest sums of money donated to “yes
on 8” came from La Canada & La Crescenta, Palos Verdes and La Verne.
The largest number of contributors to “yes on 8” came
from the City of Long Beach.
The donation and voting data shows that San Francisco County is predominantly in favor of marriage equality.
Nearly 7 million dollars was donated to "no on 8" (oppose ban), five times as much money as was donated to "yes on 8" (support ban). "No on 8" voters outnumbered “yes
on 8” voters 3 to 1. The largest amount of donation to "no on 8" came from the Financial District,
Fisherman’s Wharf, The Castro District and Noe Valley. The largest number of
contributors came from Mission District, Haight, Glen Park and Diamond Heights.
In comparison, a marginal amount of money was donated to “yes on 8”.
Alameda County is
also predominantly in favor of marriage equality based on the total donation
and votes. The largest amount of money and number of contributors to "no on 8" (oppose ban) came from Berkeley and
Oakland. The largest amount of money to "yes on
8" (support ban) came from Pleasanton and Dublin, while the largest
number of contributors came from Livermore and Pleasanton.
The donation and voting data show that Sacramento County is predominantly against marriage equality. The
largest amount of money donated to "no on 8" (oppose ban) came from Downtown Sacramento (location of the California
State Capitol Building) and the 95841 zipcode in the City of Sacramento. The
largest amount of contributors to "no on 8" came
from Downtown Sacramento. The largest amount of money donated to "yes on 8" (support ban) came from Granite
Bay and Folsom. The largest number of contributors to “yes
on 8” came from Folsom, Elk Grove, Fair Oaks and Granite Bay.
These maps are based on campaign finance reports submitted
to the California Secretary of State. The raw data for these maps can be
downloaded as a .CSV file from the LA Times Prop 8 Money Tracker.
The voting data can be viewed on the California Secretary of State Prop
8 voting map.
Proposition 8 has since been ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and is likely to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in the next few years. There is currently a stay on the ruling by the 9th Circuit Court since supporters of prop 8 immediately petitioned for a rehearing. Gay marriage is still prohibited in the state of California.
Comments or questions? If you don’t see it on the map and
are interested in knowing how YOUR area donated, email me at kelsey.ck@ucla.edu
