ME: Gay Marriage Advocates Work to Add Friendly Legislators in 2010

Maine gay marriage advocates have regrouped following repeal of the gay marriage law at the ballot Nov. 3, and they are working to put like-minded legislators in office in 2010. They also are planning to take a more personal approach with voters than they did in the months leading up to November — an approach that focuses less on identifying likely voters than it does on having conversations with people in the more rural, small-town pockets of Maine. Lane Williamson of Kittery, who led the southern York County NO on 1 voting effort in November, said that was the outcome of a recent community meeting held by Equality Maine in Ogunquit — one of a number of such meetings Equality Maine held throughout the state in the past month. Dorian Cole, communications director of Equality Maine, said no decision has been made about how the campaign will proceed with a new gay marriage initiative. Advocates could seek legislation through either a bill or a citizen's initiative, seek redress in the courts or alternatives such as civil unions. Full Story from Seacoast Online: http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091221/NEWS/912210329/-1/NEWSMAP

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ME: How Was the Money Spent On Gay Marriage Fight?

The 2009 ballot question on gay marriage in Maine was the most expensive initiative campaign in Maine history, and the third most expensive statewide political campaign in the state's history. More than $7 million was spent on both sides. Only the U.S. Senate races of 2002 and 2008 were more costly. This report will examine where the money got spent, on both the "Yes" (anti-equality) and "No" (pro-equality) sides. There were some significant differences in how the funds were allocated among different sources. Brief synopses will be provided on the major vendors on both sides. Finally, some suggestions for future equality campaigns will be offered. Step One: Get the Issue On the Ballot Before there could even be a campaign, the "People's Veto" needed to get the requisite number of signatures to qualify it for the state ballot. In Maine, that requires collecting roughly 55,000 signatures. Stand for Marriage Maine (the Yes on 1 campaign) spent more than $300,000 to gather the signatures. A Michigan-based firm, National Petition Management, was contracted to perform this task. They succeeded. Still, this meant that Yes on 1 needed to raise $300,000 before there could even be a campaign. In my analysis I consider this to be pre-campaign expenditures and do not include it in my ratio calculations. Full Story from the Nolan Chart: http://www.nolanchart.com/article7146.html

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Why We Lost Gay Marriage Fights in California & Maine

Should the November 2009 result in Maine -- a 53/47 victory by the forces seeking to overturn marriage equality -- have come as a surprise? After all, No on 1 raised much more money than Yes on 1 did. They out-organized their opponents. They ran a positive, upbeat campaign. And still the result, just like California last year: a loss. This report will examine the reasons behind the Maine loss. Then it will undertake demographic analysis of the results from Maine, California (Proposition 8) and Washington State (Referendum 71) to assess whether there were consistent demographic factors in play. Next, based on the results of the demographic analysis, a simple model will be suggested to estimate probability on a state-by-state basis of marriage equality being adopted at the ballot box. Finally, a going-forward strategy for marriage equality advocates will be proposed. Maine: What Went Wrong? Given the type of campaign marriage equality advocates waged in Maine, and the realities of running such a campaign in a state like Maine, the No on 1 forces did about the best they could have. But close does not count, and a loss is a loss. There are five reasons the No on 1 forces lost Maine. Advocates of marriage equality must re-think what they are doing, or more electoral defeats are forthcoming. However, if they make some adjustments, they will obtain the result they seek, eventually. Full Story from Nolanchart.com: http://www.nolanchart.com/article7109.html

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ME: High School Student Organizes Gay Marriage Rally

Who can marry and who can’t comes down to who has a Y chromosome and who doesn’t, a Bangor High School student told a crowd of more than 60 people gathered Sunday in Pickering Square in support of same-sex marriage in Maine. “What is the difference between a man and a woman getting married and two men or two women getting married?” Antonia Carroll, a 16-year-old junior, asked. “It’s that Y chromosome or lack thereof in one of the partners. Who cares about Y chromosomes?” Carroll organized the rally for people who volunteered for the recent No on 1 campaign. She was one of about 20 high school students, not yet old enough to vote, who attended the event. Carroll and others spoke emotionally about the Nov. 3 repeal of the same-sex marriage law by a vote of 53 percent to 47 percent. Full Story from the Bangor Daily News: http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/130497.html

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538's Nate Silver Gives Advantage to Gay Marriage Supporters in Maine

Question 1, Maine's gay marriage referendum, remains a tight contest but gay marriage advocates are heading into the final lap with the advantage, one analyst concludes. Gay marriage has yet to win a popular vote but proponents hope Mainers will be the first to buck the trend. At least one analysis favors a gay marriage win. Question 1 asks Mainers to affirm – or reject – a gay marriage law approved by lawmakers in the spring. If approved, the law would not go into effect; gay men and lesbians would not be allowed to marry, but gay marriage would not be banned outright. That is, the Legislature would be free to enact a new law during its ordinary session. Which is different from a voter-approved constitutional gay marriage ban – such as California's Proposition 8 – that leaves lawmakers and courts impotent on the issue. A ban severely hamstrings gay marriage advocates options. Full Story from On Top Magazine: http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=4804&MediaType=1&Category=26

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Pro Gay Marriage Catholic Group Protests in Portland, Maine

A group called Catholics for Marriage Equality held a vigil outside of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday to protest Bishop Richard Malone's stance on Question One. The Roman Catholic Diocese has led the effort to overturn Maine's newly enacted law legalizing same-sex marriage in the state. Among the speakers at the vigil was Pamella Starbird Beliveau, who was recently removed from her position as a lector at a Lewiston Catholic church after she wrote a newspaper column in support of gay marriage. Full Story from My Fox: http://www.myfoxmaine.com/dpp/news/20091102_pro-gay_marriage_catholics_hold_protest

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Crazies Coming Out of the Woodwork in Maine Gay Marriage Fight

This is gonna be fun. First, everybody get naked. Wow, that was fast. Now, to play the game all you have to do is guess which of these comments about Maine's upcoming ballot Question 1 are real---i.e. from letters and opinion columns published in the Portland Press Herald, Bangor Daily News or Portland Daily Sun---and which are ones I just made up to sound crazy. This is tougher than it looks. Good luck! 1) Gay rights advocates sneer at the common-sense objection that homosexual relations cannot be considered natural or normal. One need merely look at human anatomy and consider the consequences if all sex were homosexual sex to grasp this obvious and intuitive fact. Full Story from Daily Kos: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/10/30/798655/-Cheers-and-Jeers:-Candy-Corn-FRIDAY!

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Details from Stand for Marriage Maine's Campaign Finance Report

Stand for Marriage Maine, the group attempting to strip gay Mainers of the right to marry, has filed a report of their contributions and expenditures since September 30. --They have taken in an additional $1.4 million for a total of $2.5 million --Expenditures were $1.1 million for a total of $2.2 million. --The National Organization for Marriage has donated an additional $1.1 million bring their total donations to $1.6 million. --The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland provided SFMM with an additonal $196,000. --One individual, Rita Sukeworth of China, ME, donated $25,000. A Doug Sukeworth donated $5,000 to the Maine Grassroots Coalition which has received considerable support from the Christian Action League and has run some print ads in support of Question 1. --Focus on the "Family" kicked in another $18,000 --The Smith Living Trust, of Newport Beach, CA donated $10,000. Full Story from Tips-Q: http://www.tips-q.com/1518133-stand-marriage-maine-updates-campaign-finance-reports

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Roman Catholic Church Gives $152K More to Maine's Anti Gay Marriage Group

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland has contributed another $152,600 to the group that's campaigning to overturn Maine's same-sex marriage law. A campaign finance report released by the diocese Friday said the money was contributed between Oct. 1 and Oct. 20 and came from its general treasury. The treasury is made up of unrestricted bequests, interests and dividends, said Sue Bernard, a spokeswoman for the diocese. The money doesn't come from parish collection plates or the bishop's appeal, she said. Full Story from the Morning Sentinel: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/7014886.html

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Five Thirty Eight's Nate Silver Debunks Anti Gay Marriage Arguments in Maine

Yesterday, I was sent an e-mail from the Stand for Marriage Maine campaign, which I signed up for under a secondary e-mail account. The message suggests talking points that opponents of gay marriage might use when calling into local radio stations. ... So, paraphrasing somewhat, the arguments that the Yes on 1 campaign seems to be making are as follows: 1. The new law won't make gay marriage equal to straight marriage. Instead, it will create a new kind of marriage in which gay people and straight people are equal. 2. Although we may not have proven any connection between gay marriage and public education, our opponents haven't disproven the connection, and it's their fault that the subject came up. 3. If gay marriage is upheld, then marriage will exist solely to make people happy. Full Story from FiveThirtyEight.com: http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/10/arguments-against-gay-marriage.html

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D-Day Soldier Calls for Gay Rights in Maine

A video clip of Philip Spooner, a soldier who fought in the Second World War, has become an internet hit after he spoke out for gay rights. Spooner was addressing the Maine Judiciary Committee in April. The state legalised gay marriage in May and the law was due to come into effect on September 12th but gay marriage opponents have delayed the law. State voters will decide next month whether same-sex marriage should be legal. His voice frequently cracking, Spooner addressed the hall: “Good morning committee. My name is Philip Spooner. I am 86 years old and a lifetime Republican.”  He said: “I am here because of a conversation I had last June, when I was voting. The woman at my polling place asked me, do I believe in equality for gay and lesbian people. “I was pretty surprised to be asked a question like that. It made no sense to me. Finally I asked her: what do you think I fought for in Omaha Beach?” Full Story from Pink News: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/10/21/video-86-year-old-d-day-veteran-calls-for-equal-gay-rights/

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National Public Radio Tells Anti Gay Marriage Group to Stop Using Clip in Ad

National Public Radio is demanding that a political action committee stop using a radio clip as part of its efforts to repeal Maine's same-sex marriage law. The group Stand for Marriage Maine began airing the ad last week on television stations and the Internet. The ad uses audio from a 2004 NRP story titled, "Massachusetts Schools Grapple with Including Gay & Lesbian Relationships in Sex Education." Full Story from WBZ TV: http://wbztv.com/wireapnewsme/NPR.demanding.that.2.1261537.html

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Maine AG on Gay Marriage Law's Effect on Schools: "I have found none"

The state's same-sex marriage law has no bearing on what can be taught in public schools, Attorney General Janet Mills said Thursday.  Mills examined the issue at the request of Education Commissioner Susan Gendron, who had been fielding questions from school officials and the media. The issue has been a central part of the Yes on 1 campaign, which is seeking to repeal the state law that allows gay and lesbian people to marry. "I have scoured Maine laws relating to the education of its children for any references to marriage in the public school curricula," Mills wrote in her opinion. "I have found none." Full Story from the Morning Sentinel: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/6984138.html

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New Poll in Maine: 52% Will Uphold Gay Marriage, 43% Against It

A new poll shows an edge for supporters of same-sex marriage in Maine's Nov. 3 referendum, with 51.8 percent of those surveyed saying they plan to vote to uphold the law legalizing it and 42.9 percent planning to vote for repeal. The poll released Wednesday by the Pan Atlantic SMS Group of Portland shows that 5.2 percent of the people surveyed were undecided. The survey results followed campaign finance reports on Tuesday that showed No on 1, the group supporting same-sex marriage, had raised $2.7 million as of Sept. 30. The group supporting a people's veto of the law, Stand for Marriage Maine, had raised $1.1 million. Full Story from the Kennebec Journal: http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/6980230.html

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Beyond Chron Recap of the Gay Marriage Fight in Maine

I’m back home in San Francisco, after spending 10 days on the ground in Maine with the “No on 1” campaign. After my time there, I truly believe that – with our help – Maine will become the first state in the nation to successfully defend marriage equality at the ballot box, providing a roadmap for California to repeal Proposition 8. Maine activists have been working hard for five years to pass gay marriage, but events in the last few days now point to what should be an historic victory on November 3rd. With only 19 days left, what I’m seeing from the “Yes on 1” campaign reminds me of where “No on 8” was at this point last year – outgunned by the opposition, unable to control the message and at a loss about what to do. If Question 1 passes, it will be our fault for not having done more. But if Question 1 fails, those of us who get involved will have made history – which is why I hope to go back for the last four days. Here are the reasons for my optimism ... An Early Fundraising Advantage One reason why I got involved in this effort was that “No on 1” said they only needed $3 million dollars for the entire campaign – a pittance compared with California efforts. “We’re a cheap date,” said campaign manager Jesse Connolly at this year’s Netroots Nation Convention. New fundraising totals that came out this week show that “No on 1” has already raised $2.7 million (with most of the money coming from Maine residents) – and bloggers are planning a big fundraising push for today that should keep them on track with their goal. The bigger news, however, is that “Yes on 1” reported only raising $1.1 million – with a campaign debt of $400,000 (our side has no debt.) This provoked their spokesman Marc Mutty (who is on loan from the Portland Archdiocese) to send out an urgent message on October 13th that their cause was under “financial assault.” In the mass e-mail, which can be reviewed in full here, Mutty says they had known from the opposition’s superior ground game that our side had been raising more money. But they had “never dreamed the situation was as dire as it is,” and are now urging their supporters to make a “sacrificial contribution” to pass Question 1. Full Story from Beyond Chron: http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=7446

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Beyond Chron Update from Gay Marriage Fight in Maine

I’m reluctantly leaving Maine today, after volunteering for the past week with the “No on 1” campaign – talking to voters about gay marriage in the most conservative part of the state. We have supporters everywhere, but in this region the challenge is to drive long distances to reach them – and we need more volunteers to reach everybody. Just last night, I drove two hours away to Washington County – where a terrific group of students at the University of Maine in Machias did a phonebank. I’ve spent a lot of time here on the road – exploring much of Downeast Maine to meet supporters, while listening to Christian radio to get clues about the opposition. Our priority for the region now is volunteer recruitment – turning supporters into activists. More volunteers means reaching more supporters and convincing them to vote early, but it also means more conversations with voters that touch hearts and minds. And while canvassing a precinct in Orono this weekend, I got a few. In my 13 years of volunteering on campaigns, I have never been in a place – with 21 days left to go – where we have identified enough supporters to win the election. And seldom in my memory have I seen the potential of a race like Maine’s Question 1 have such a national impact on a major issue. With turnout expected to be low, we have prioritized “early voting” – asking supporters to vote early, either by requesting an absentee ballot online or doing “in-person” early voting at their local town clerk’s office. And that has meant driving to remote places to get a feel for how voters live before we talk to them. In Ellsworth on Sunday night, I met nine volunteers at the Hancock County Democratic Headquarters to do “early vote” phonebanking to our supporters. Ellsworth is in part of the state that Mainers call “Downeast,” further away along the Atlantic Ocean from the Mid-Coast region – where the pace of life is slower. The crew of phonebankers knew many of the voters they were calling, so they gave me the call-sheet for Ellsworth (the largest town in the area) to make sure someone from “away” would have a better experience than some of the smaller towns. You can’t call voters in Deer Isle, they said, unless you live there. Full Story from Beyond Chron: http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=7440

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New Yes on 1 Ad in Maine Tries to Stir Fears Using "Who's in a Family" Book

In the latest campaign spot by Stand for Marriage Maine, a school counselor at Nokomis High School in Newport suggests that if Maine's same-sex marriage law isn't overturned, young children in Maine could soon be introduced to a book called "Who's In a Family." The ad uses an excerpt from a telephone interview with the Book's author, Robert Skutch of California, that was conducted by a Boston-based public radio program called Here and Now in 2005. In that same interview, Skutch goes on to say that he can understand why people might be afraid of the reality of same-sex couples, but he says his book is about all different kinds of families: those headed by single parents, grandparents, immigrants and two men or two women. "The book was written basically because my niece and her partner decided they wanted to have a family," Skutch said. "I was involved with seeing them when they were very little, this little boy, and it occurred to me, you know it's a shame that he's going to go to school and that he's going to be made fun of because he's got two mothers. And I thought that isn't right and that's what inspired the book. And that's only one little part of the book." Full Story from MPBN: http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/9321/Default.aspx

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Catholics in Maine Give $86K to Fight Gay Marriage

Catholics in Maine gave about $86,000 to fight same-sex marriage through collections at Masses in September. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland said Friday that parishioners put $41,000 into baskets during collections supporting the campaign to repeal Maine's new law legalizing same-sex marriage. Donations made in envelopes weren't opened by the churches but sent directly to Stand for Marriage Maine, the political action committee organizing the repeal effort. Full Story from the Morning Sentinel: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/6962573.html

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Maine Gay Marriage Fight Not Getting Much Attention on the National Stage

Canvassers are knocking on the doors of saltbox houses and slogans are pinned to yellow slickers. But outside the Pine Tree State, next month's referendum on gay marriage is the vote that dare not speak its name. Even as President Obama delivers a high-profile speech about gay rights on Saturday -- the eve of a national march for equality on the Mall -- Maine's landmark gay marriage legislation remains practically a secret. With low-volume murmurs of support from the institutional advocates and opponents of gay marriage, Maine's operatives, on both sides of the issue, are curious to find themselves nearly alone as they contest an election that will determine the national gay-rights agenda. "We're focused on Maine people talking to Mainers," said Jesse Connolly, who is running the campaign to protect the nation's first gay marriage bill to have successfully passed through the traditional legislative process. A schlubby Red Sox fanatic who wore orange Crocs on a recent rainy weekend, Connolly lives south of the state's largest city (population 65,000) with his wife and son. He's an unlikely figure to be leading the rainbow-bearing ranks as new gay leaders and activists demand concrete results from Congress and the White House. Full Story from the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/08/AR2009100804152.html?hpid=artslot

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Maine's AG Asked to Put Lies About Gay Marriage's Effect on Schools to Rest

Maine's attorney general is being asked to look into what effect the state's gay marriage law would have on the public schools' curriculum. Education Commissioner Susan Gendron asked for the analysis. Gendron has said the law will have no impact on curriculum decisions. But the campaign supporting repeal of the law in a Nov. 3 referendum says it could lead to gay marriage being taught in schools. In her request to Attorney General Janet Mills, Gendron says questions about the impact of gay marriage on school teachings have persisted and are now being directed to superintendents. fFull Story from WGME: http://www.wgme.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.me/31c2c55d-www.wgme.com.shtml

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