AUGUSTA – Opponents of Maine’s newly enacted gay rights law on Tuesday submitted to state election officials what they said are thousands more voter signatures than are needed to force a third statewide vote on the issue.
Tuesday’s action stays Maine’s law, which was due to take effect today, leaving the state as the only one in New England without a law protecting homosexuals from discrimination.
If at least 50,519 of the more than 57,000 signatures turned over to the Secretary of State’s office are verified, Maine voters will decide in November whether to repeal the law that prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, education, credit and public accommodations based on sexual orientation.
The law is similar to previous gay-rights legislation that voters rejected in 1998 and again in 2000.
Leaders of the effort to overturn the latest measure said they were aided by a late flurry of signatures following an appeal by the Christian Civic League of Maine as the deadline drew closer. Within the last 24 hours, petitions bearing 12,000 more signatures came in.
“They just coming and coming and coming,” Paul Madore of the Maine Grassroots Coalition, who led the signature-gathering effort, told a rally in front of the State House. “It was really crazy the last 24 hours.”
His wife, Susan, told supporters, “Today, we are witnessing a miracle.” The 87-day effort was carried out with the assistance of evangelical churches throughout the state.
Gay rights law supporters promised immediately to wage a strenuous campaign to defeat the people’s veto referendum.
“Maine has zero tolerance for discrimination,” Jesse Connolly, campaign manager for a coalition called Maine Won’t Discriminate, told a cheering rally inside the State House.
Opponents say the law, which was signed by Gov. John Baldacci on March 31, paves the way for same-sex marriages, even though the legislation states it makes no changes in marriage rights.
“This opens the door,” said Madore. “Those who don’t believe it are deaf, dumb and blind.”
But Connolly said the people’s veto effort has been “based on fear, deceit and distortion” and that more of the same can be expected in the months leading up to the vote.
Connolly said a coalition of citizens, businesses, religious and political activists from both major parties has been preparing for the campaign. The gay rights law’s supporters include the Maine Council of Churches and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce.
“We will demonstrate that the vast majority of Maine people do not practice or condone discrimination, and that they support the need for these fundamental protections for all Maine citizens,” campaign adviser Ted O’Meara said.
Maine has a statute defining marriage as between a man and a woman, but lawmakers refused this spring to send a proposed constitutional amendment to that effect to voters for ratification. Maine also has a registry for domestic partnerships, but they do not create marriages between couples.
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On the Net:
Citizens Initiative and People’s Veto: www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/pets02/pets02-1.htm
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