Maryland Gay Marriage Foes Deliver Petition Signatures

Maryland’s anti-gay marriage foes have delivered twice the number of signatures needed to put the state’s new marriage equality law on the ballot in November, making a referendum almost inevitable.

Reports the Washington Post:

Activists say they submitted 113,000 signatures on petitions on Tuesday — double the 55,736 needed to put the issue on the ballot. The state has 20 days to verify signatures.

[...]

Opponents were required to submit 18,579 signatures by Thursday to petition a law to referendum and had until June 30 to submit the remainder.

Following a concerted campaign by a broad coalition of marriage equality advocates from both religious and secular backgrounds, as well as the vocal support of Governor Martin O’Malley, Maryland legalized marriage equality in March. The law does not come into effect until January of next year.

Maryland for Marriage Equality, a group hoping to see the new marriage equality law prevail at the ballot, said in a statement, “Given the low bar for petitioning a law to the ballot in Maryland, we’ve always expected same-sex marriage opponents to meet that threshold and then some—up to their stated target of 150,000.”

Maryland for Marriage Equality has warned, however, that the number of petition signatures, even so far in excess of the minimum requirement, should not necessarily be taken to mean that marriage equality is doomed at the ballot. Citing a recent PPP poll that demonstrated some encouraging trends, they said:

“It’s clear those opposed to marriage equality are losing ground. Our PPP poll last week showed 57% would vote to uphold the law – with 37% voting against – if the election were held today.”

In particular, the group cites President Obama’s marriage equality endorsement as offering a resolve that might have been lacking otherwise, saying, “A surge in support among African American voters (to 55%) in the wake of endorsements by President Obama and the NAACP are key factors in that change.”

Marriage equality Maryland also believes advocates can win not just on momentum, but based on the key issues themselves:

“Beyond polling and politics, let’s keep in mind what the likely referendum is all about: building stronger families and protecting every child under Maryland law. Only marriage provides such legal protections to children. Every family deserves dignity, just as every church deserves its freedom and liberty to marry who they want. Religious liberty is cherished and protected.”

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Image used under the Creative Commons Attribution License with thanks to netsu.

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Tracy G.

11:52AM PDT on Jun 15, 2012

THIS IS BULLSHIT. NO MATTER WHAT STATE YOU LIVE IN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO MARRY THE SAME SEX. YOU ARE BORN THAT WAY. IT ISN'T A DAMN DECISION TO BE GAY. I DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY REALIZES HOW MANY GAY PEOPLE THERE ARE IN OUR MILITARY. I SAY LET THEM OUT OF THE MILITARY. WHY FIGHT FOR FREEDOM AND THIS COUNTRY WHEN YOU HAVE REGULAR ASSHOLE CITIZEN'S WHO CAN SUPPORT THEM BEING IN THE MILITARY BUT NOT TO MARRY THE PERSON THEY LOVE EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE THE SAME SEX. HOW IS THAT RIGHT. I SAY IT IS VERY IGNORANT OF WHOEVER SIGNS THE PETITION TO DENY GAY'S FROM GETTING MARRIED. GOD IS THE PERSON WHO WILL BE THE JUDGE ON THEIR FINAL DAYS. WHAT IF THIS WAS YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER WOULD YOU JUST DENY THEM YOUR LOVE BECAUSE THEY WERE GAY. AMERICA NEEDS TO GROW UP.

June 15
send a green star

11:51AM PDT on Jun 15, 2012

Judith H.

4:05PM PDT on Jun 1, 2012

noted

June 1
send a green star

Anita W.

7:24AM PDT on Jun 1, 2012

Interesting.......

Harshiita S.

2:57AM PDT on Jun 1, 2012

Great News!!

Teresa C.

1:06AM PDT on Jun 1, 2012

Good--I wish them luck!!

Midge C.

7:19PM PDT on May 31, 2012

so marriage is between a man and some women? lol give up trying to take the freedoms you enjoy away from other's. md will not vote to repeal same gender marriage. we take our liberties seriously here.

May 31
send a green star

Pamela T.

4:06PM PDT on May 31, 2012

I AM FOR ALL PEOPLE, GAYS, MINORITIES, WOMEN, TO HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS AS MEN....HOWEVER WITH THAT COMES RESPONSIBILITY....AND THE THREE GROUPS I HAVE MENTIONED SHOULD NOT SEEK TO UNDERMINE THE OTHER GROUPS...IN OTHER WORDS I MADE AN HONEST EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND THE OTHER TWO GROUPS AND THEY NEVER DID THE SAME...IF ALL MINORITY GROUPS DONT REALIZE THAT WE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER THEN THERE WILL ALWAYS BE MORE DISSENTION.