One of the places where all the Democrats have gone is Maine. And now we can see the upshot of that. For a little over three weeks now, Mainers have been out braving hurricanes and tourists, gathering signatures to put a marriage equality initiative on the ballot for November 2012. Their goal is to gather 80,000 or more signatures by the end of the year, needing at least 57,277 valid ones to qualify.
Less than a month into the campaign, they are now almost 33% of the way there!
From Madawaska to Kittery, and a lot of places in between, we've already gathered over 25,000 signatures. Thanks to the incredible work of hundreds of volunteers and our dedicated staff, we're gathering signatures even faster than we'd planned. We're on track to gather the 80,000 signatures we need to place our question on the ballot in 2012, but we can't keep up this momentum without your help!
Why Marriage Matters Maine
That's great news! Almost 44% of the way to the bare minimum, and 32% of the way to their 80,000 signature goal in less than 25% of the time they have. Of course it's not going to get any easier, and volunteers and donations are much needed to insure that the effort is ultimately successful.
we still need to gather another 55,000 signatures by the end of the year, to do that we need your help. We've had hundreds of volunteers get involved in our efforts so far, and in order to keep up this momentum we need to recruit hundreds more.
If you live in or near Maine, or want to take a trip there, you can volunteer here.
If you'd like to donate, you can do so here.
Background:
In 2009, the Maine legislature passed, and then-Governor Balducci signed, a law legalizing same-sex marriage. That law never went into effect because it was peoples' vetoed -- subject to rejection by referendum. In November of 2009 Maine voters rejected the law by 53% - 47%, 300,848 - 267,828, a difference of 33,020 votes.
Equality Maine and other supporters believe that in the two years that have passed since then times and attitudes have changed. That a new ballot initiative will be successful based on external polling, their own polling and efforts they have undertaken throughout Maine to educate people on what marriage equality is (love and equal rights) and is not (a threat to their children). Furthermore, while 568,000 people voted in November of 2009, 731,000 voted in November of 2008, and a similarly larger number will do so in November of 2012, constituting a younger and hopefully more progressive electorate than in 2009.
Making History:
Should the signature gathering be successful, Maine equality groups will have been the first to go on the attack, proactively putting a ballot initiative up for a vote in favor of marriage equality. All ballot initiatives to date have been by groups opposed to marriage equality, forcing votes on laws or constitutional amendments (e.g, Proposition 8) to prohibit same-sex marriage.
The tide is turning, but it is not yet reversed. A ballot initiative for a constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage will be on the ballot in Minnesota at the same time that Maine's will be. A vote on a people's veto in Maryland will likely take place should the Maryland legislature pass a marriage equality statute in 2012, as is quite possible. And there is the possibility of a vote in North Carolina on a same-sex marriage prohibition amendment, again in November of 2012. We'll know soon enough whether that will take place -- the North Carolina legislature is scheduled to debate and vote on whetehr to place such an amendment on the ballot soon.
Should any of these three be defeated, it will be a great day for equality, as it will be the first any state's population will have rejected such a proposition.
But should Maine's initiative pass, it will be a Tony the Tiger GRREEAT day for equality. The first time in the United States (and possibly the world) that a voting population (as opposed to a legislature or Parliament) will have affirmed their support for marriage equality.
Notes from the field:
"We've found people who are excited to sign everywhere we go. At the Great Falls Balloon Festival in Lewiston-Auburn, the volunteers I was working with were excited about how warmly we were received. We handily beat our goals that day; it was awesome." Kyran McCann, EqualityMaine Field Organizer in Lewiston-Auburn
"We spent last weekend at the Blue Hill Fair, where we heard from people who said they weren't supportive in 2009, but had since changed their minds on the issue. One woman talked about how she'd gotten to know a same-sex couple who are raising a family together and seen how loving and committed they are. It was a great example of how people's hearts and minds change when they get to know their gay and lesbian neighbors." Beth Allen, EqualityMaine Field Organizer for Bangor/Brewer
-- courtesy of Ian Grady at Equality Maine
Go Maine!
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