Maine Gay marriage vote

Latest updates about Maine Gay marriage vote, Maine Gay Marriage Vote: Too Close To Call, Gay marriage vote in Maine on Tuesday, was closely followed by a referendum, that gay-rights activists around the country wanted to demonstrate for the first time, that their cause can not win at the ballot box.

Voters had to decide to repeal or adopt the state law that would allow gay couples-Wed. Adoption of a law by the legislature in May, but never force, since the petition drive conservatives.

An early return was close to the competition, as expected. With 229 608 pedestrian precincts reporting, each side was 50 percent.

The vote to respect the law should mark the first time that the voters of any state support for gay marriage. This could energize activists nationwide and the blunt conservative claims that same-sex marriage has been foisted on state judges and legislators in the course is public.

However, repeal – New England, the region supports the country’s largest gay couples – would be another heartbreaking loss for the marriage equality movement, then opposed gay marriage in California a year ago.

It would also mark the first time voters had torpedoed the gay marriage law enacted by the legislature. When Californians rejected same-sex marriage, it was a response to the court’s decision, not legislation.

Maine Secretary of State, Matthew Dunlap, said turnout appeared higher than expected in the off-year elections, and voter interest came out strong. Even before Tuesday, more than 100,000 people – out of about 1 million registered voters – had voted absentee voting or polling.

Five other states have legalized gay marriage – Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut – but it was all so by law or court decision, not popular vote. Instead, constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage has been approved in all 30 Member States, where they have been in the vote. Source

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Maine Gay marriage vote was first posted on November 4, 2009 at 10:40 am.