LEWISTON – Several groups have registered political action committees with the state and have begun raising money for the anticipated November ballot question to repeal the same-sex marriage law.

Jesse Connolly, chief of staff for House Speaker Hannah Pingree, is taking an unpaid leave of absence from his job to head up the campaign to keep the law. The same group of lobbyists and activists who campaigned in the Legislature to get the law passed have formed a political action committee called Maine Freedom to Marry to raise money and to campaign against the expected repeal question.

“Right now, the only campaign employee is myself, but we are going to, very shortly, staff up,” Connolly said. “We are also fundraising actively.”

Signature gatherers hoping to repeal the law have been working since soon after its passage earlier this year. They hope to get the more than 55,000 signatures necessary turned in to Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap’s office by the beginning of August, said Bob Emrich, one of the leaders in the campaign to repeal. Dunlap would have to validate the signatures before the repeal question could be placed on the ballot.

People’s veto initiatives have until 90 days after the Legislature adjourns to gather enough support, but Emrich said he hoped the signatures would get turned in early enough to get the question out to voters this November.

Emrich and Marc Mutty, director of public policy for Maine’s Roman Catholic Diocese, formed the PAC at the end of May to head up their effort. Four other PACs in support of the repeal have been registered, according to Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices records.

“We’re trying to get geared up for fundraising, but right now the bulk of our work and our attention and everything is getting these signatures,” Emrich said.

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