Maine Momentum. After last week’s huge turnout of three thousand people at a public hearing, the Maine Legislature’s Judiciary Committee voted 11-2 Tuesday to move their gay marriage bill forward and onto the senate. No date is yet set for a vote, but it could be put onto next week’s schedule. If the legislation is roundly approved, the Democratic governor, John Elias Baldacci, may not sign it. After last week’s hearing, the governor said,
“Let me just say, it was very clear to me that the turnout of people who were there that this is an issue that people feel strongly about and they’re going to want to make sure that they have their say. In our state, I think they’re going to want to be part of the decision-making.”
Maine residents are almost perfectly split on gay marriage: 47.3% are in favor, 49.5% oppose the bill.