O'ahu Democrats voted yesterday to reprimand state Sen. Mike Gabbard for organizing opposition to a civil-unions bill that was before the state Legislature last session.

Gabbard, a leading opponent of same-sex marriage in the 1990s, sent an e-mail to a third party describing his plans to urge his colleagues to oppose the bill. He was one of two Democrats to vote against the bill in the Senate Judiciary and Government Operations Committee, which stalled the bill's progress.

The civil-unions bill ultimately failed on the second-to-last day of the session, when Senate leaders used a procedural maneuver to delay a final vote after the bill was pulled from committee.

The party's platform includes a civil rights and equal rights plank that supports equal access to marriage.

"The party does not expect uniformity of conscience. It also does not expect uniformity of vote. But it does expect people who hold office under our banner to not actively organize against our platform," said Tony Gill, an attorney who is the chairman of O'ahu Democrats.

Gabbard, D-19th (Kapolei, Makakilo, Waikele), said he has not decided whether to appeal to the party's state central committee. A reprimand is the least severe punishment. The senator could have faced censure or expulsion.

"It's a sad day when, one, you start penalizing lawmakers for having the free will to do what's right in their hearts. And, two, for penalizing them for voting on an issue that reflects not only the majority of his constituents but also the majority of voters in Hawai'i," said Gabbard, who left the Republican Party to become a Democrat two years ago.

The O'ahu Democrats' rules committee had recommended that the complaint against Gabbard be dismissed. The committee's recommendation was rejected yesterday by a narrow vote.

"It was a great day for civil rights within the Hawai'i Democratic Party," said Carolyn Martinez Golojuch, a party activist from Maka-kilo who filed the complaint.