SAN FRANCISCO, May 26 (UPI) — The presidential candidates will be asked about an effort in California to place a ban on same-sex marriage in the state constitution, political observers say.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported Monday that some religious and conservative groups are trying to get an initiative on the November ballot to block a recent state Supreme Court decision that legalized gay nuptuals in the Golden State.

Supporters of the California Marriage Protection Act have submitted more than 1.1 million signatures for the initiative, far more than the 694,354 needed to put it on the ballot.

Barbara O’Connor, a professor of political communication at Cal State Sacramento, said California voters will expect candidates to take a position on the initiative, should it qualify for the ballot.

“Absolutely, this is going to come up,” O’Connor said. “For California voters, it’s something they want people to take a stand on.”

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has stated he supports civil unions, but the Illinois senator has said repeatedly that marriage should be reserved for a man and a woman.

Republican Arizona Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, supports California’s proposed constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage.

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