AUGUSTA - The Maine Secretary of State today confirmed that enough signatures have been verified to place a Citizens' Initiative allowing same-sex couples to receive marriage licenses on the November ballot.
"Just as my own thinking has evolved on this issue, more and more people in
Maine are coming to understand that loving, committed same-sex couples
should not be denied the freedom to marry," said Pastor Michael Gray of Old
Orchard Beach United Methodist Church and the citizens initiative's lead
signer. "We gathered signatures from voters in more than 450 towns all over
Maine, and those people signed the petition because they want the chance to
vote on this issue again so their gay and lesbian family, friends and
neighbors can have access to marriage licenses."
Advocates turned in more than 105,000 signatures from 453 towns and cities
on Jan. 26. According to the Secretary of State, 85,216 of those signatures
have been verified, far surpassing the 57,277 required.
"Same-sex couples want to marry for the same reasons other couples want to
marry: because they love each other and want to spend their lives together,"
said Betsy Smith, the executive director of EqualityMaine. "During the last
two years, our coalition has had thousands of face-to-face conversations
about marriage with Mainers who have changed their minds about this issue.
There's no question that momentum is growing for same-sex marriage in
Maine."
The decision to move forward with the campaign was made after two years of
outreach and conversations with Mainers about civil marriage. Statewide
polling shows that support is steadily growing and is now at 54 percent.
"In 2009, our campaign mobilized more than 8,000 volunteers. We believe that
number will grow this year as momentum for marriage increases," said Shenna Bellows, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine. "People are excited, engaged and willing to work to make sure all
loving couples can get married."
The coalition working to pass the initiative includes EqualityMaine, Gay &
Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, the Maine Women's Lobby, Engage Maine, The Religious Coalition
Against Discrimination (RCAD) and 15 other organizations. The Dirigo Family PAC, the coalition's political action committee, has also been formed.
For more information, visit: WhyMarriageMattersMaine.org.
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