Gaston County commissioners will vote on Thursday evening on a controversial ordinance over the state amendment to ban gay marriage.

The resolution supports Amendment One.

Opponents plan to speak up at Thursday night’s meeting.

“You have to keep standing for what you believe in,” said Robert Kellogg, the openly gay head of Gaston County's Democratic party.

He believes commissioners will pass the resolution.

But since Eyewitness News last spoke with Kellogg, commissioners have changed the wording at the end of the ordinance.

In the original version, commissioners told voters to protect marriage on May 8. In the new version, they simply urge their constituents to vote.

Kellogg said despite the change, he still considers the resolution divisive.

“We go to church with these people. We see them in the shopping centers. We go to the same parks, schools, museums,” Kellogg said. “It makes it personal."

Early voter turnout in Gaston County has been high. Some voters said it's because of Amendment One.

Stephanie Wellman opposes Amendment One and said people in Gaston County don't want commissioners to pass a resolution.

“I am just not sure if they are hearing the voice of the people,” she said.

But the majority of the voters Eyewitness News talked to in the area said they support the resolution and support Amendment One.

“If God wanted man and man to be together or woman and woman to be together, it would have been that way from the beginning of time,” Edwina Wilson said.

The chairman of the Board of Commissioners said he will give speakers about 30 minutes to voice their opinions on the resolution before he calls for a vote.