Marriage fight looms IN mAINE

Opponents and supporters of gay marriage are laying the groundwork for a tough summer political campaign that experts say will put Maine in the national spotlight.

Organizers of an effort to overturn a new law legalizing same-sex marriage in Maine have hired the California public relations firm that ran the successful Proposition 8 campaign that overturned same-sex marriage there.

And supporters of same-sex marriage, who oppose the people’s veto effort, have hired a seasoned Maine political strategist who ran the successful Maine Won’t Discriminate campaign in 2005. That campaign fought a people’s veto of Maine’s gay rights law.

Maine became the fifth state to legalize gay marriage in May, when the Legislature passed a bill and Gov. John Baldacci signed it into law. Opponents, led by the Catholic church and other clergy, immediately began the campaign for a people’s veto, which would ask voters to overturn the law.

Organizers of the people’s veto are attempting to collect 55,087 signatures of registered Maine voters to put the question on the ballot. The same-sex marriage law would take effect 90 days after the Legislature’s June 13 adjournment. But if the veto effort collects enough signatures before then, the law’s implementation would be stayed.

At least five political action committees have been formed to help raise funds to support the people’s veto effort. Two have been formed to oppose a people’s veto.

According to the latest filings with the state Ethics Commission, most haven’t raised money. But one, StandForMarriageMaine.com, has raised $60,000 from the National Organization for Marriage. The next filing deadline is July 15.

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Maine Gay-marriage foes hire California firm that ran Prop 8

Opponents and supporters of gay marriage are laying the groundwork for a tough summer political campaign that experts say will put Maine in the national spotlight.

Supporters of the law have hired a seasoned Maine political strategist who ran the successful Maine Won’t Discriminate campaign in 2005. That campaign fought a people’s veto of Maine’s gay-rights law.

Maine became the fifth state to legalize gay marriage in May. Opponents, led by the Catholic Church and other clergy, immediately began campaigning for a people’s veto, which would ask voters to overturn the law.

Organizers of the veto effort are attempting to collect 55,087 signatures of registered Maine voters to put the question on the ballot. The same-sex marriage law will take effect 90 days after the Legislature’s June 13 adjournment unless the veto effort collects enough signatures before then, which would put the law on hold.

At least five political action committees have been formed to help raise funds to support the people’s veto effort. Two have been formed to oppose the veto.

According to the latest filings with the state Ethics Commission, most haven’t raised money. But StandForMarriageMaine.com has raised $60,000 from the National Organization for Marriage. The next filing deadline is July 15.

See Gay-marriage foes hire California firm that ran Prop 8

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Gay Marriage Opponents File For People’s Veto in Maine

Just one day after Governor John Baldacci signed a bill to legalize same-sex marriages in Maine, opponents are gearing up for a possible repeal. They’ve filed an application with the Secretary of State’s Office to attempt a people’s veto.

A people’s veto would give Maine voters statewide the chance to decide for themselves whether or not they want to legalize gay marriage. Now that opponents have filed an application for a people’s veto, the Secretary of State has to come up with the wording for the question. And then opponents have to gather enough valid signatures, at least 55,087 of them, to qualify the measure for the ballot.

The Jeremiah Project and the Catholic Diocese of Portland are jointly running the campaign. “I think that the vast majority of people are not supportive of what has happened here,” says Marc Mutty, Director of Public Affairs for Maine’s Catholic Diocese. “We certainly see the churches as being our base and our largest base for gathering signatures. But we see us extending our effort beyond that. And it may be door-to-door, fairs, church fairs, county fairs, whatever it may be, whatever is available.”Organizers of the people’s veto have a deadline of 90 days after the Legislature adjourns to turn in the required signatures. Right now the Legislature’s statutory adjournment is June 17th.

In order to make the required deadline for this November’s ballot, which is the goal, the campaign will have to work more quickly, and turn in their signatures by the first week of August. That would allow time for Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap to certify them. “And then the governor would have to do a proclamation, which he cannot do less than 60 days before the election; and then from there we would have to produce ballots and get them out at least 45 days before the election so people can vote absentee,” Dunlap says.Dunlap says opponents can start circulating their petitions as soon as he determines the proper wording of the question. “Ultimately, it is my discretion to write the question. We do solicit suggestions from the proponents. We have access to a volunteer group called the “Ballot Clarity Group” that can

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Maine’s Gay Marriage FAces Likely Ballot Initative

Portland, ME – Maine Governor John Baldacci signed into a law today a bill ending the ban on marriage for same-sex couples. The Maine Civil Liberties Union, which lobbied hard for the bill, applauds the governor for recognizing that lesbian and gay couples in the state should no longer be denied the legal protections, recognition and respect that comes with marriage.

“Our great state became the first to end the ban on marriage for same-sex couples solely through the legislative process,” said Shenna Bellows, Executive Director of the Maine Civil Liberties Union. “While we know that the bill signed into law may ultimately have to be approved by the voters, today marks a turning point in the fight for the freedom to marry.”

Although Governor Baldacci had not previously stated publicly whether he would support the bill, he signed it into law just a day after the bill passed the state house by a vote of 89 to 57. Because of the state’s referendum process, it is likely that an initiative will be placed on the ballot where the voters could reject the legislation. Opponents of the freedom to marry have 90 days from the date of adjournment of the legislature to gather just over 55,000 signatures to put the issue on the ballot, which will stay the law from going into effect and bar couples from being able to marry. The initiative will be on the ballot in November 2009 or June 2010.

“We understand that many Maine people on both sides feel as passionately as we do,” added Bellows. “We are confident that if our opponents succeed in making this a referendum issue, the majority of Mainers will vote for fairness.”

To learn more about the fight for marriage in Maine, visit www.mainefreedomtomarry.com.

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“People’s veto effort” likely if gay-marriage becomes law in Maine

UGUSTA — Michael Heath of the Maine Family Policy Council announced this week he will work to gather the signatures necessary for a people’s veto of the gay-marriage bill.

A few things need to happen first, but during Senate debate Thursday, many senators said they felt it was inevitable that the question would end up before voters.

The Senate voted Thursday 22-14 in favor of the bill. It will be taken up in the House Tuesday, then come back to the Senate for a final vote.

From there, it goes to Gov. John Baldacci, who has not taken a position on the bill.

Assuming he doesn’t veto it, it would be set to take effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns. Adjournment is set for June 17, give or take a day or two.

This is where the people’s veto comes in.

Heath and others would have 90 days from the date of adjournment to gather 55,087 signatures.

Julie Flynn, deputy secretary of state, said any group wanting to turn in signatures for a people’s veto would have until Sept. 15 to submit signatures. Her office would then have 30 days to determine whether there are enough valid signatures to call for a public vote.

However, in order to make the November ballot, groups would have to turn in signatures by Sept. 3 or 4, because it must be at least 60 days before the election, she said.

If not, the question wouldn’t go to voters until June.

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People’s veto effort likely in wake of gay-marriage debate Kennebec Journal