Gay marriage supporters in Maine on
Thursday announced they would return to the ballot box this November,
ThinkProgress.org
reported.
Equality Maine, the state's largest gay
rights advocate, has already collected nearly twice the number of
signatures needed to put the question on the ballot.
Lawmakers approved marriage equality in
2009. However, opponents repealed the law with a “people's veto”
at the ballot box, known as Question 1.
In announcing their decision to move
forward, backers also released a new poll showing that a majority
(54%) of Mainers say gay marriage should be legal. Forty-two percent
of respondents oppose the institution and 4 percent said they were
unsure.
“Marriage is going to be decided at
the ballot box,” Betsy Smith, executive director of Equality Maine,
said in a conference call. “We feel very comfortable about
winning. It's the reason we made a decision to go.”
Speaking to National Public Radio
(NPR), Marc Solomon of Freedom to Marry, said he believes Maine could
be first state to win marriage at the ballot box.
“We think 2012 is going to be the
year that we actually win a state at the ballot and take away,
really, our opponents' last good talking point that they have on this
matter,” Solomon said.