Group Drops 2014 Gay Marriage Initiative for Ariz.

Organizers of an initiative campaign for a 2014 ballot measure to legalize gay marriage in Arizona are dropping that effort in favor of waiting until 2016.

The Equal Marriage Campaign says it had broad support but that key national advocacy groups withheld backing that was needed to make a 2014.

Those groups favor waiting until 2016 to put a gay marriage measure on Arizona's ballot and Equal Marriage Arizona says it now also supports doing that.

The advocacy groups had said 2014 didn't provide enough time to rally support for a state constitutional amendment and that the larger voter turnout in 2016, a presidential election year, would help.

Equal Marriage Arizona is telling its supporters they can return completed petitions to the campaign for destruction.