Voters turn down same-sex marriage in Maine
Wed. November 4, 2009 12:00 AM by GoPride.com News Staff
Portland, Maine -
Legalized same-sex marriage in Maine appears to have been rejected by a small, but solid margin, according to the latest report from Bangor Daily News.
In May, the Maine legislature voted to approve same-sex marriages and Governor John Baldacci signed the measure into law. But the law was not implemented after opponents gathered enough signatures to put it on the ballot.
The National Organization for Marriage and the Catholic Archdiocese were primary organizers and funders of Maine's anti-gay marriage effort.
According to Bangor Daily News, which provided Twitter updates throughout the night, more than half of the voting population turned out yesterday to cast their ballots on this issue in what is called an off-election year.
In a final Twitter update, the Daily News reported a ‘yes' vote on Question 1 to repeal same-sex marriage in Maine was leading 52.75% with 87% of precincts reporting.
"Yesterday, hundreds of thousands of Maine voters stood for equality, but in the end, it asn't enough," read a message on the Protect Maine Equality Web site from Jesse Connolly, Campaign Manager NO on 1 / Protect Maine Equality.
The vote was considered important by gay rights' groups because this would have been the first time voters approved same-sex marriage at the polls.
In May, the Maine legislature voted to approve same-sex marriages and Governor John Baldacci signed the measure into law. But the law was not implemented after opponents gathered enough signatures to put it on the ballot.
The National Organization for Marriage and the Catholic Archdiocese were primary organizers and funders of Maine's anti-gay marriage effort.
According to Bangor Daily News, which provided Twitter updates throughout the night, more than half of the voting population turned out yesterday to cast their ballots on this issue in what is called an off-election year.
In a final Twitter update, the Daily News reported a ‘yes' vote on Question 1 to repeal same-sex marriage in Maine was leading 52.75% with 87% of precincts reporting.
"Yesterday, hundreds of thousands of Maine voters stood for equality, but in the end, it asn't enough," read a message on the Protect Maine Equality Web site from Jesse Connolly, Campaign Manager NO on 1 / Protect Maine Equality.
The vote was considered important by gay rights' groups because this would have been the first time voters approved same-sex marriage at the polls.