Same-Sex Marriage Legal in Maryland, Maine, Washington, Minnesota

image
Jane SusskindJane Susskind
Published: 07 Nov, 2012
2 min read

same-sex marriage legal in Maryland and Maine

While America voted for president, states across the nation voted on social issues, with voters making same-sex marriage legal in Maryland and Maine. While widely ignored by the presidential candidates, America displayed a broad acceptance for previously rejected social issues in Tuesday's election.

In Maryland, voters passed Question 6, approving the Civil Marriage Protection Act that made it legal for same-sex couples to marry. Prior to this election, proponents of same-sex marriage had been defeated 32 times, highlighting the state's unwillingness to accept the act.

Tonight's victory comes after President Obama's open endorsement of same-sex marriage, marking a milestone in the gay rights movement. Partly due to Obama's endorsement, much of the campaign centered around African American voters in the state:

The campaign over Question 6 in Maryland focused heavily on African American voters, who make up a larger share of the electorate than in any other state outside the Deep South and whom polls showed as more reluctant to accept gay nuptials than white voters.

Exit polls reveal that backers of same-sex marriage in Maryland also supported and voted for President Obama, helping him secure re-election. The win in Maryland could have serious implications nationwide.

“It takes away the talking points that anti-marriage activists use day in and day out: that this issue can’t win at the ballot box,” said Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Coalition. 

Same-sex marriage was also on the ballot in Maine. Voters decided whether or not Maine should issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. As reported by the AP,

Gay marriage is legal in six states and Washington, D.C., but those laws were either enacted by lawmakers or through court rulings. In popular votes, more than 30 states had previously held elections on same-sex marriage, with all losing.

The Supreme Court will decide later this month whether or not to hear cases regarding same-sex marriage.

same-sex marriage legal in Maryland and Maine

 

IVP Donate

You Might Also Like

broken california map
EXCLUSIVE: California Commissioner Says Lawmakers Gutted Their Funding BEFORE Prop 50
The fate of California’s independently drawn congressional districts will be decided on November 4, when voters weigh in on a legislative gerrymander and the suspension of congressional maps from the state's independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC) under Proposition 50....
08 Oct, 2025
-
8 min read
fl-let-us-vote
Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for Opening Florida’s Primaries to 3.4M Independent Voters
A new statewide poll finds near-unanimous agreement among both Democratic and independent voters that Florida’s primaries should be opened to the state’s 3.4 million “No Party Affiliation” (NPA) voters who are currently shut out of taxpayer-funded elections....
10 Oct, 2025
-
3 min read
Proposition 50 voter guide
California Prop 50: Partisan Power Play or Necessary Counterpunch?
November 4 marks a special election for what has become the most controversial ballot measure in California in recent memory: Proposition 50, which would circumvent congressional districts drawn by the state’s independent redistricting commission for a legislative-drawn map....
01 Oct, 2025
-
9 min read