A constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage was approved by California voters Tuesday, but the increasingly rancorous debate showed no sign of abating a day later. While sponsors of Proposition 8 celebrated victory Wednesday, opponents of the amendment refused to formally concede and instead filed suit in an attempt to invalidate the measure.

With 100 percent of California’s 25,423 precincts reporting, Prop. 8 had passed by a margin of 52.5 percent to 47.5 percent. Opponents said it was too soon to call the race, however, insisting that too many votes remained uncounted. The exact number of those ballots remained unclear late Wednesday.

Wednesday’s legal action contends the initiative improperly revises the state Constitution by altering equal-protection guarantees. The suit also contends initiative proponents had no standing to place the measure on the ballot, asserting that only the Legislature can place constitutional amendments before voters. The legal maneuvering occurred at the state Supreme Court, which in May had overturned an earlier measure and granted gay couples the right to wed.

In Santa Barbara County, Prop. 8 lost, 53.07 percent to 46.93 percent.

Prop. 8 was the highest-profile — and most politically explosive — among a dozen statewide initiatives on Tuesday’s ballot. Other closely watched measures were Proposition 2, which calls for more humane treatment of animals raised for food (It won.); Proposition 4, which would require a 48-hour waiting period and parental notification for pregnant minors seeking abortions (It lost.); and Proposition 11, which would shift the power to draw legislative districts to an independent citizens panel from legislators themselves (It was leading, narrowly.).

All of the following totals are with 100 percent of precincts reporting, but the tallies exclude remaining absentee and provisional ballots, and ballots turned in on Election Day. Secretary of State Debra Bowen was expected to issue an estimate of the number of uncounted ballots Thursday and said it could take days to process them all.

Proposition 1A: Won
A $9.95 billion bond measure to be used as a down payment on construction of a statewide high-speed rail network between Los Angeles and San Francisco passed, 52.2 percent to 47.8 percent statewide. In Santa Barbara County, voters approved it, 53.82 percent to 46.18 percent.

Proposition 2: Won
The measure to outlaw restrictive caging practices for animals raised for food was approved, 63.2 percent to 36.8 percent. Santa Barbara County voters approved it, 67.62 percent to 32.38 percent.

Proposition 3: Won
The $980 million children’s hospital bond measure passed, 54.9 percent to 45.1 percent. Santa Barbara County voters approved it, 53.68 percent to 46.32 percent.

Proposition 4: Lost
On the ballot for the third time in four years, the abortion parental notification initiative lost, 52 percent to 48 percent. In Santa Barbara County, voters rejected it, 57.19 percent to 42.81 percent.

Proposition 5: Lost
The initiative to treat rather than incarcerate thousands of drug offenders failed, 60 percent to 40 percent. After an early lead in Santa Barbara County, voters defeated it by the narrowest of margins, 50.51 percent to 49.49 percent.

Proposition 6: Lost
The measure to increase spending on police and local law enforcement to $965 million annually lost, 69.3 percent to 30.7 percent. Santa Barbara County voters rejected it, 71.75 percent to 28.25 percent.

Proposition 7: Lost
An initiative to require utilities to generate 20 percent of their power from renewable sources such as solar and wind by 2010 and 50 percent by 2025 was defeated, 64.9 percent to 35.1 percent. Santa Barbara County voters defeated it, 56.28 percent to 43.72 percent.

Proposition 8: Won
A constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage passed, 52.5 percent to 47.5 percent, in statewide balloting. In Santa Barbara County, however, the measure lost, 53.07 percent to 46.93 percent. An estimated record $74 million was spent as the two campaigns battled over the amendment that would strip gays and lesbians of the right to marry, which was granted by the state Supreme Court in May.

Proposition 9: Won
By 53.5 percent to 46.5 percent, voters statewide backed a constitutional amendment to require that crime victims be notified and have input on phases of the criminal justice process, including bail, pleas, sentencing and parole. In Santa Barbara County, the measure passed, 51.58 percent to 48.42 percent.

Proposition 10: Lost
A $3.4 billion bond measure to help consumers buy alternative-fuel vehicles and that would set aside an additional $1.2 billion to spur alternative energy development lost, 59.8 percent to 40.2 percent. Santa Barbara County voters rejected it, 62.19 percent to 37.81 percent.

Proposition 11: Winning
Voters were narrowly approving, 50.6 percent to 49.4 percent, a constitutional amendment shifting responsibility for drawing Assembly, state Senate and Board of Equalization districts to a 14-member citizens committee from legislators themselves. Santa Barbara County voters approved it, 52.67 percent to 47.33 percent. The initiative was fueled in part by anger over a deal struck by legislative leaders in 2001 that drew districts protecting incumbents of both the Democratic and Republican parties. In the past two elections, none of 120 legislative seats has changed parties. The panel would consist of five Democrats, five Republicans and four other voters.

Proposition 12: Won
The $900 million veterans bond act to provide farm and housing aid to California military veterans was approved, 63.5 percent to 36.5 percent. Santa Barbara County voters backed the measure, 63.15 percent to 36.85 percent.

Click here for complete Santa Barbara County results. Click here for statewide results.

Noozhawk publisher Bill Macfadyen can be reached at wmacfadyen@noozhawk.com.