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In a victory for gay-rights advocates, the California court narrowly overturned a voter-approved ban on gay marriage and said domestic partnerships are not a substitute for marriage.

Some Democrats and gay-rights advocates rejoiced. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the ruling ''a significant milestone.''

In turn, some Republicans and gay-marriage opponents vowed to press forward with their ballot initiative effort. Tony Perkins, the head of the Family Research Council, said, ''It's outrageous that the court has overturned not only the historic definition of marriage, but the clear will of the people of California.''

California's secretary of state is expected to rule by the end of June whether the sponsors have gathered enough signatures to put the anti-gay-marriage question on the ballot. If approved, it would trump the court's decision.

In 2004 and 2006, voters in more than 20 states approved similar measures, and conservative groups were extraordinarily active in mobilizing their rank-and-file to go to the polls to support the initiatives. Some analysts have suggested that such turnout activity helped lift President Bush to re-election over Democrat John Kerry four years ago. Others dispute the notion.

Given the Iraq war and the economy, social issues such as gay marriage have seemed to matter little so far in the 2008 presidential race.

Until midwinter, the war was the dominant concern among voters. Since then, the economy has become their top concern.

Gay marriage aside, five proposals related to other conservative issues -- abortion and race-based affirmative action -- have failed to even make state ballots. And, besides California, Arizona and Florida are the only other states likely to vote on a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

Now, however, conservative activists will have a talking point as they work to rally their supporters.

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AP National Writer David Crary in New York contributed to this report.

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EDITOR'S NOTE -- Liz Sidoti covers presidential politics for The Associated Press.

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