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Voters in Maine and Maryland vote for marriage equality
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November 7, 2012
Original URL: http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Voters_in_Maine_and_Maryland_vote_for_marriage_equality



In Maine and Maryland, voters have approved ballot measures yesterday to
allow marriage between same-sex partners. Votes for a similar measure in
Washington are still being counted. Reports from Minnesota suggest a
ballot measure that would amend the constitution to ban gay marriage has
been rejected by voters.

In Maryland, voters supported the law passed earlier this year by
Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley 52% to 48%. Josh Levin from
Marylanders for Marriage Equality said that voters would "feel the
ripples of this monumental victory across the country for years to
come."

Supporters of marriage equality in Maine stated they had 250,000
one-on-one conversations with voters. Matt Mc Tighe from Mainers United
for Marriage celebrated the passage of the Maine ballot initiative
saying: "A lot of families in Maine just became more stable and secure."

Chad Griffin from the gay rights group the Human Rights Campaign said:
"When the history books are written, 2012 will be remembered as the year
when LGBT Americans won decisively at the ballot box."

Frank Schubert, an opponent of gay marriage, downplayed the results.
"The fact that an uber-liberal state like Maine or Washington might go
for same sex marriage, it doesn't mean that the country has changed."

Six other states — Vermont, New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire,
Iowa, Massachusetts — as well as the District of Columbia already
recognise same-sex marriage. In May, Barack Obama announced that he
supports legalisation of same-sex marriage.

== Related news ==
*  Obama's new stance on same-sex marriage earns donations

== Sources == 

* https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/07/us/politics/same-sex-marriage-voting-election.html
* http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gay-marriage-20121107,0,1194693.story
* http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-gay-marriage-measures-maryland-maine-20121106,0,7264088.story



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