(Tucson, Arizona) A dispute between Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer and Attorney General Terry Goddard over the wording on a proposed constitutional amendment to bar same-sex marriage has been settled, hours before a judge was to rule on the description.

Brewer wanted the description to state that a “no vote shall have the effect of retaining the current laws regarding marriage.”

But Goddard maintained that definition would not inform voters that the current law defines marriage as being between one man and one woman.

He wanted language describing the current law as “a statute that prohibits marriage between persons of the same sex.”

Supporters of the proposed amendment that will appear on the November ballot say only by placing the ban in the constitution can they prevent a judge from overturning the law.

Brewer went to court on Monday to block Goddard from inserting his “no” definition into the ballot question.

Shortly before a judge was to rule the two agreed on a compromise.

The “no” definition now will say that the proposed amendment defines marriage as between one man and one woman, while keeping intact the current state law, which outlaws same-sex marriage.

In 2006 a similar amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions failed when put to voters.

Public opinion polls have shown that while most people in the state oppose same-sex marriage they do not want to enshrine that in the constitution.

The current amendment proposal does not mention civil unions.