MADISON, Wis. -- The Dane County Board of Supervisors passed a controversial resolution early Friday morning to ask Congress to begin impeachment proceedings against President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

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The resolution was approved by a 20-3 margin with two board members abstaining and 12 others were absent. The vote took place after 1 a.m. and many board members had left, WISC-TV reported.

Earlier in the evening as the board took up the resolution and others, supporters of the measure held a rally outside. Some wore armbands to show solidarity for impeachment. Impeachment supporters wore the color orange, and organizers said that the demonstration was part of the new "orange for change" movement going on across the nation.

The Impeachment Coalition of Dane County organized a mock funeral at the rally, complete with caskets labeled "Democracy" and "The Constitution." Organizers said that while they support the resolution, they're pushing more for accountability than actual impeachment.

"In the overall scheme of things, the vote isn't all that important," said rally organizer Dennis Coyier of the Impeachment Coalition of Dane County. "What's important is that we're here showing solidarity. We want to take our country back and bring it back to what it was, the principles we founded it upon, which are being destroyed."

As the board considered the resolution, several Dane County supervisors spoke out against it, saying it has nothing to do with local matters. They called the debate a waste of county time and money, WISC-TV reported.

Dane County Board Member John Kendrick defended the idea of considering the resolution.

"Even though some people say this is not county business, apparently this is our job as it is your job as citizens," he said. "We all have to defend the U.S. Constitution, and this is where it starts tonight, thank you."

The Impeachment Coalition of Dane County said that it hopes this is only the beginning of something bigger.

"I'm very pleased. It is an indication that the momentum for impeachment of Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney is growing rapidly across the country," said Buzz Davis, of the Impeachment Coalition of Dane County.

Patrons at the Koffee Kup Restaurant in Stoughton on Friday had a mixed reaction to the resolution.

"I think it's got to start someplace, and if our politicians in Washington don't have enough guts to step forward and start making these kind of rational decisions when we have someone in office who is been completely irrational, (it should start locally)," said Randy Wagner of Janesville.

Don Harrington, of Stoughton, said that the resolution gave local communities a voice.

"I think it's a wonderful idea. It's an exercise in futility, but it gives us a chance to bring our feelings to the surface," Harrington said.

Lonny Raymond, of Stoughton, said that he opposes the resolution.

"I'm pretty much totally against it, because we did re-elect him as a president," Raymond said.

Jennie Lien, of Stoughton, said she thought the vote was a waste of time.

"I think they should forget about it. They should have forgotten about it when it started, because there are more important things for the people of this county to think about," Lien said. "I think it should just go by the wayside, but they're going to do what they want to do anyway."

The resolution is slated for Madison's City Council next month.

According to a national Web site that tracks the movement, similar impeachment resolutions have already passed in 85 cities, townships, villages and counties around the U.S. Measures are pending in about 50 other communities, while the resolutions have failed to pass in 34 others.

In related news, the board also voted early Friday morning in favor of resolution establishing a Regional Transit Authority. (Read related story)