Maine Gay Marriage Push Gets OK

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.care2.com/causes/maine-gay-marriage-push-gets-ok.html

Same-sex marriage advocates in Maine have been given the go ahead to start collecting signatures to put the question of legalizing same-sex marriage on the 2012 ballot after the text of the ballot question was approved by Maine’s secretary of state this week.

According to the American Independent, the National Organization for Marriage has already pledged $32,000 to trying to defeat the marriage equality effort.

Mainers narrowly rejected same-sex marriage in 2009. However, campaigners believe this time around there is a clear majority that will favor same-sex marriage, especially with a growing body of support among Maine’s religious leaders. Two recently published polls put support for marriage equality at 53%, the same margin that rejected same-sex marriage in 2009.

Marriage Equality supporters will now have to collect 57,000 signatures to put the question on the ballot, and campaigners have already begun an outreach to try and convince folks in places that rejected same-sex marriage last time around, such as in Lewiston, that marriage equality will bring them no harm and will be of both financial and social benefit for the state.

In related news, campaigners in Oregon are currently in the process of deciding whether to put the question of overturning the state’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage before voters in November 2012



Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/maine-gay-marriage-push-gets-ok.html#ixzz1VP21qkHE