Maryland Approves Gay Marriage In Historic 'Question 6' Vote

[leatherbear]

Maryland joined Maine in making history on Election Night, affirming gay marriage by a popular vote.

As The Los Angeles Times reports, Maryland’s referendum to uphold the law held a sizable lead with about 80 percent of precincts reporting, putting the state on track to become the first below the Mason-Dixon line to legalize marriage equality.

"Today the marriage equality map expands to Maryland, giving thousands more loving couples the opportunity to make lifelong commitments through marriage," Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Chad Griffin said in an email statement. "This is a milestone night for the simple truth that when Americans are presented with the real lives of their friends and neighbors, they have no choice but to vote for their equality. It is the momentum reflected in poll after poll that shows a growing majority for marriage equality across the country."

In March, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley signed the same-sex marriage bill into law. But just two months later, officials with the Maryland Marriage Alliance – a coalition of groups working to preserve the traditional definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman -- had reportedly collected more than 113,000 signatures from opponents, far exceeding the necessary 56,000 signatures to force the law to a referendum.

In recent days, a Washington Post poll found that likely voters favored the law 52 percent to 43 percent, but a subsequent Baltimore Sun poll was less certain, finding support for same-sex marriage in the state at a near-even split.

In other big wins for marriage equality, Maine also legalized gay marriage and Washington was all but sure to do the same but due to the state's mail-in voting system an official tally still is not available. In Minnesota, voters shot down a constitutional amendment that would have defined marriage as a union only between a man and a woman.
Maine
Question 1 on the ballot in Maine legalizes gay marriage, reversing a 2009 referendum that lost narrowly.

Yes 300,336 53%
No 262,820 47%
75% reporting

Maryland
Maryland Question 6 allows voters to decide whether to approve a state law passed earlier this year legalizing same-sex marriages.

For 1,208,068 52%
Against 1,112,998 48%
97% reporting

Minnesota
Minnesota voters decide whether to change their constitution to deny same-sex couples the right to marry with Amendment 1.

Yes 1,396,879 48%
No 1,504,189 51%
99% reporting

Washington
Evergreen State voters decide whether to approve a law passed earlier in 2012 allowing gay marriages.

Approve 985,308 52%
Reject 917,197 48%
51% reporting

[raphjd]

Minnesota law bans gay marriage anyway.