It was covered heavily by all the major news networks. Everything that was written about it was more than likely posted online. Everyone is just as informed as you are on the issue.
There's a big difference between reading about something online and watching a brief story on the national news and being inundated with it as a local story. I'm not saying people outside California were completely uninformed but:
1. Every day the local papers had several stories covering the minute details, and locally written op-ed pieces covering both sides.
2. The local news had pieces on the story every night.
3. It was discussed heavily at work and among friends.
Basically anyone outside California had to look for the story while being in California the story was everywhere. Also I physically witnessed the first ceremonies in 2004 and the protests in 2008. I was in the booth and spoke with friends who were in the booth.
Whereever you live, you become a slight expert on the local issues in the same way you become an expert on the local weather.
