Referendum could undo same-sex unions

This blog post is taken from an article written by Chris Johnson in the Southern Voice.

Friday, May 22, 2009  |  By: CHRIS JOHNSON 

Amid the celebration over the expansion of same-sex marriage rights to several new states, there is uncertainty in Maine and Washington state, where relationship recognition laws are facing potential referenda.

An official at the Maine secretary of state’s office confirmed that opponents of same-sex marriage on May 7 filed a challenge over the marriage bill that could lead to a “people’s veto.”

Although Gov. John Baldacci (D) signed legislation granting marriage rights to gay couples in the state, the law will not take effect until 90 days after the legislature ends its session June 17.

If opponents of same-sex marriage gather at least 55,087 petition signatures to put the law up for a “people’s veto” on the ballot before that time, the legislation will not take effect until after the electorate votes and could be nullified by a majority.

Depending on how soon petition signatures are submitted to the Maine secretary of state, voters would have an opportunity to reject the law on either Nov. 3, the day of the next general election, or June 27, 2010, the day of the statewide primary election.

One of the groups reportedly working to collect signatures for a “people’s veto” is the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.

Marc Mutty, spokesperson for the diocese, didn’t respond to a request for comment, but was quoted in the Hartford Courant as saying that he expects opponents of same-sex marriage to get permission by May 21 to begin collecting signatures for the “people’s veto.”

The National Organization for Marriage also failed to respond to a request for comment on its efforts in putting the Maine marriage law up for a “people’s veto.”

No ‘decline to sign’

The possibility of a “people’s veto” raises the question of whether activists in Maine will start a “decline to sign” campaign similar to what happened last year in California in the time before Proposition 8 got on the ballot. The California “decline to sign” campaign didn’t stop the measure from coming to the electorate, and the measure passed, ending same-sex marriage in the state.

Betsy Smith, executive director of Equality Maine, said there are no plans for a “decline to sign” campaign because the “people’s veto” is a popular measure in Maine and the threshold for getting enough signatures is so low.

Instead, she said her organization plans to counter the “people’s veto” signature-gathering effort by collecting at least 50,000 signatures of Maine residents who favor gay nuptials within the 90-day period before the law goes into effect.

“We will continue to talk to voters as we have been for the last two years about marriage, and we’re talking to voters about our families, and about the need for marriage and equality for our families,” she said. “So, we’ll be doing that at the same time that they are out talking to voters to get them to sign to overturn a law.”

Smith said the organization had collected 50,000 signatures of same-sex marriage supporters for the fight in the legislature, so the 50,000 gathered in the 90-day period would be in addition to those names. She said Equality Maine’s goal could be accomplished through “an increased effort and increased resources.”

Marty Rouse, national field director for the Human Rights Campaign, said the organization had regional field organizers working in Equality Maine’s office to build support for same-sex marriage and will help the organization address the potential for a “people’s veto.”

“We need to be ready, and Equality Maine, of course, is planning on fighting this on the ballot,” Rouse said.