Happily ever after for everyone
In May, gay marriage was passed in Maine but was not enacted due to a petition drive from the conservative opposition. Today Maine has put the question to its public and by the time you read this blog, the fate of same-sex marriages will have been decided.
According to Yahoo, early returns show a close contest with those in favor at 53% and those opposed at 47%. If the end result supports this initiative, it would be the first time voters in any state have passed such a measure.
It is believed that a yes vote would drive a grassroots movement to support more ballot propositions across the US, despite the loss suffered in California last year when voters reacted to a court ruling allowing gay marriage.
Court rulings have also approved gay marriages in Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. On the flip side, there have been 30 states that have enacted constitutional amendments that banned gay marriage.
In Washington voters are deciding whether or not to uphold or overturn a recently expanded domestic-partnership law that entitles same-sex couples to the same state-granted rights as heterosexual married couples.