Why 2012?
Four States: One Nation
Momentum for marriage is at an all-time high, as we’ve seen numerous state legislatures and federal courts affirm the freedom to marry in the past year alone. The 2012 Election is a tipping point in the movement to win marriage for same-sex couples nationwide, with ballot measures in four states: Maine, Maryland, Minnesota & Washington.
Each of these states can be the first to secure marriage victories at the ballot box on November 6th.
Check out more information on each of the ballot measures below and then sign up to take a Volunteer Vacation or support a volunteer who is traveling to one of the four states.
Washington State: In February 2012, Governor Christine Gregoire signed a marriage bill into law following its passage in the state legislature on a bipartisan vote. However, opponents of the freedom to marry collected sufficient signatures to place the law on the ballot in November. If passed, Referendum 74 would allow the law to go into effect -- and all loving couples in Washington will be able to marry under state law. Washington United for Marriage is mobilizing supporters across the state and engaging in thousands of conversations with voters about why marriage matters to same-sex couples. We are urging Washington voters to Approve Referendum 74, and will be sending volunteers to help its passage.
Minnesota: In May 2011, Minnesota’s Republican-controlled state legislature placed an anti-gay amendment on the November 2012 ballot that would permanently limit the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. Minnesotans United for Marriage is organizing over 600 faith organizations, businesses, labor organizations, community leaders and elected officials to defeat the anti-family amendment in November. We are urging a “no” vote on the amendment and will send volunteers to talk with voters about why the amendment would be bad for Minnesota.
Maryland: In March 2012, after an impressive lobbying campaign that built a wide coalition to pass it in the state legislature, Governor Martin O’Malley signed a marriage bill into law which was scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2013. But opponents of the freedom to marry collected enough signatures to place it on the ballot in November. Now, Maryland voters must pass Question 6 to allow the law to go into effect and extend marriage to same-sex couples. We are urging a “yes” vote on Question 6 and are sending volunteers.
Maine: In November 2009, voters narrowly repealed a marriage law that would have allowed same-sex couples in Maine to marry. Undaunted, marriage advocates in Maine have spent the last three years engaging in hundreds of thousands of face-to-face conversations with Mainers. After collecting over 100,000 signatures from Maine voters, advocates proactively placed marriage back on the ballot this November. In the history of marriage ballot campaigns, this will be the first time that supporters of the freedom to marry -- not our opponents -- take this directly to voters. We are excited about this historic move, and are sending volunteers to urge a “yes” vote on Maine's Question 1.
Prepared and paid for by Freedom to Marry Action, Inc., 155 West 19th St., New York, NY 10011, Evan Wolfson, Founder and President; the Human Rights Campaign, 1640 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036, Chad Griffin, President; and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund, 1325 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005, Rea Carey, Executive Director.