Opponents working to repeal Maryland’s new same-sex marriage law say they have collected more than enough validated signatures to have the measure placed on the November ballot, the
Baltimore Sun reported Monday.
The Rev. Derek McCoy, who heads the Maryland Marriage coalition, told the Sun that at least 109,000 signatures had been validated, which is far above the 55,736 necessary to force a public vote on the measure, which takes effect in January 2013.
“We’ll turn in an excess of 150,000, easy,” McCoy said. “We have participation from every county.”
McCoy stressed that opponents of gay marriage are “not hating on any group,” as he put it, in the effort to overturn the law passed earlier this year. But he insisted that Maryland voters, and not politicians, should decide the issue.
“Marriage should be between one man and one woman,” he said, adding, “We’re just saying let’s keep it going like it has been. It’s worked for society for many years.”
But same sex-marriage supporters are working just as hard to ensure the new law remains in place. According to the Sun, supporters used the Baltimore Pride Festival, which ended Sunday, to help galvanize their base for the expected fight this November.
They joined with volunteers working for President Barack Obama’s campaign on Sunday to raise public awareness about the issue by passing out promotional materials and registering voters.
Recent polls in the state show that voters are closely split over gay marriage, with about 49 percent favoring it and 47 percent opposed.
Voters in 30 states have already approved constitutional amendments banning gay marriage; only six states and the District of Columbia allow it.
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