Gay marriage campaigners in Maine have initiated the process of gaining same-sex marriage equality in the state by submitting more than 100,000 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office.
Supporters, which include gay rights groups EqualityMaine, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Maine Women’s Lobby, believe there is a better chance this time around, having seen their efforts rejected 53% to 47% by voters in a referendum in 2009, after it was initially passed by lawmakers. If the target of 57,277 petition signatures is confirmed by election officials by 30 January, a referendum will be called in November.
Betsy Smith, executive director of EqualityMaine said: “This denial of marriage continues to be a very painful part of our lives...The need for marriage has not gone away since 2009." She claims 54% of likely voters were in favour of allowing gay marriage in a recent poll.
But opponents warned gay marriage advocates that public opinion polls can be deceptive. Brian Souchet, director of the Catholic Diocese of Portland’s Office for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, said in a statement: “The biggest mistake they can make is believing their own polling,” pointing to a survey before the 2009 referendum indicating support of 53% for the same-sex union.
Souchet said he was disappointed there would be another vote. “After the bitterly divisive campaign of 2009, in which Maine people clearly and decisively voted against changing the meaning of marriage, we’re dismayed that they would bring this issue back for yet another vote,” he said. “Marriage is an institution that cannot be arbitrarily redefined to accommodate adult desires for public affirmation or state-sponsored benefits.”
If granted, Maine would join the six states of Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont, as well as Washington D.C, in allowing same-sex marriage,
