The amendments won, often by huge margins, in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Utah and Oregon - the one state where gay-rights activists hoped to prevail. The bans won by 3-to-1 in Kentucky and Georgia, 3-to-2 in Ohio, and 6-to-1 in Mississippi.

''This issue does not deeply divide America,'' said conservative activist Gary Bauer. ''The country overwhelmingly rejects same-sex marriage, and our hope is that both politicians and activist judges will read these results and take them to heart.''

In Georgia, Ohio and Mississippi, gay-rights activists were considering court challenges of the newly approved amendments.

''That certainly is disappointing news that many Kentucky voters would think it's appropriate to write discrimination into our constitution,'' said Beth Wilson of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky.