Maine gets enough support for gay marriage referendum

[Little Tich]

Source: The Chicago Tribune, Reuters

(Reuters) - Proponents of same-sex marriage in Maine have gathered more than enough signatures to ask voters in a November referendum to approve gay nuptials just three years after they banned them.

As the tide of acceptance swells nationwide, gay marriage advocates in gathered more than 85,000 signatures, far more than the requisite 57,277 signatures, Secretary of State Charles Summers said on Thursday.

Opponents have 10 days to challenge the signatures.

Maine's legislature passed a law legalizing same-sex marriage in 2009, but it was overturned that same year in a statewide referendum, 53 percent to 47 percent. Supporters say polls show they would now win a statewide vote by as much as 10 percent.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-gaymarriage-mainetre81n1qc-20120224,0,257585.story

[bluestateguy]

1. While I normally dislike the idea of putting civil rights up for a vote

If you are in a state where the legislature and the courts won't act and public opinion is on the side of equality, then hey, let's bring it on.

[MaineDem]

2. The Legislature passed it and the Governor signed it a while ago HOWEVER...

Maine has a citizens' veto provision and the repeal went out to a vote and it passed. So the bill that was passed and signed was repealed.

Maine also has a citizen's initiative procedure and that's why it's back up for a vote. We'll win this, I'm sure.

[Posteritatis]

3. Will it stay won, though? (nt)

[MarianJack]

5. Yes, Posteritalis!

See post # 4.

PEACE!

[MarianJack]

4. I'm proud of my adopted home state!

We will get marriage equality passed here this November as we also take back the state legislature, re-elect our 2 reps, Chellie Pingree & Mike Michaud, and especially deliver our 4 electoral votes overwhelmingly to re-elect President Obama!

Yes we can! Yes we WILL!

See the sig line as to where my lovely wife and I stand on marriage equality.

PEACE!

[quakerboy]

6. What are the chances of

turning one of those senate seats blue one of these days?

[MarianJack]

7. I honestly don't know.

I don't think it'll happen this year unless the baggers get olympia snowe in a primary, and I'm not aware of any challenger as of now. olympia snowe has never lost an election to my knowledge. If we'd have had a decent candidate in 06 we might've had a chance, but we didn't. I don't even know what Democrat is even running this year. For me to be saying that is really saying something.

We might have a better shot at susan collins in '14. The trouble is that up here in Maine, neither party has a particularly deep bench.

PEACE!

[MaineDem]

8. Not this year, I'm afraid

People up here LIKE them for some reason.

Olympia just lost one primary opponent this year who left the GOP but will run as an I. He's tea party so he won't siphon votes from the Dem. She has another primary challenger but I don't expect he has much traction.

I was hoping she'd not run based on health issues but no such luck. (The not running - not wishing she has health problems.)