Gay marriage supporters closing ranks in Maine

[xchrom]

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20120202-NEWS-202020401

Days after marriage equality proponents turned in petitions to the Maine secretary of state's office to put the question on the November ballot, both supporters and opponents of the measure are gearing up for a political fight. Again.

On Jan. 26, supporters turned in petitions with 105,000 signatures, nearly double the 57,000 signatures required to put a citizens initiative on the ballot.

This is not the first time a marriage equality proposal has come before voters. In 2009, opponents successfully mounted a citizens veto of a gay marriage law passed by the Legislature.

This time, gay marriage supporters said, they're confident of victory. For one, they point to internal polling that indicates 54 percent of Mainers support a marriage equality law, compared to 47 percent at this same point in 2009. In voting that year, however, those numbers essentially swapped, with 47 voting in favor of the law and 53 percent voting to repeal it.

[racaulk]

1. An additional advantage we have this time is that we're in a Presidential election year.

As such, Democratic voter turnout should be higher than in it was 2009, which should help the ballot measure pass.

I take nothing for granted and we on the pro-equality side certainly have our work cut out for us, but I am cautiously optimistic that this could actually pass. I would love nothing more than to see the "every time the people have had a chance to vote, they have said 'no'" narrative finally meet its well deserved end.

Keeping my fingers crossed for Maine and Washington (and perhaps Maryland) this year!

[William769]

2. One thing is for sure this is a fight that er are used to.