"Seems like everywhere I can think of it's been a court decision, not resident decision"

And it should NOT be an item which can be decided by popular vote!

Basic human rights should simply be affirmed by legal means, as in the Constitution. Where would the Civil Rights movement be if it had been put to 'popular vote' in the South? Or the right of women to vote?

What is possible, and what is often done by conservatives, is to drum up opposition using distortions, lies and scare tactics...then tying votes on 'rights' to other issues.