Many New Hampshire towns will begin
voting on a gay marriage resolution Tuesday.
About half of the state's towns have
agreed to put a non-binding article on the ballot calling for a
public vote on gay marriage. Other towns will take up the issue at
their traditional meetings, many of which will be held this month.
New Hampshire became the fifth state to
legalize gay marriage on January 1 when a gay marriage law approved
by lawmakers went into effect. Fifty-four gay and lesbian couples
married on the law's opening day.
Opponents of the law are calling for a
public vote on the issue.
If approved, the resolution before town
voters would urge state lawmakers to support placing a constitutional
amendment defining marriage as a heterosexual union on the ballot, which,
if approved, would effectively ban gay marriage and block the state's
highest court from ruling in its favor.
The grassroots
effort is being spearheaded by Representative David Bates, a
Republican from Windham.
Last month, Democratic
lawmakers killed two measures that attempted to reverse the law.
House lawmakers passed on the marriage amendment and another bill
that would have repealed the bill outright.