Vote Scheduled For Thursday
After a seven-hour debate, and a 7-6 vote, exactly one month after the New Jersey Senate’s Judiciary Committee moved the bill to the full Senate, gay marriage will come to a vote before the entire Senate. And despite a later promise (or threat) by some NJ lawmakers to create essentially “marriage light” for same-sex couples, on Thursday, the New Jersey Senate will vote for  – or against – gay marriage. Most assume the vote will be against, as there do not seem to be sufficient votes to pass the bill.
Despite widespread popular support of the measure in the Garden State, New Jersey’s Senators have not been will ing to follow the will of the people on this issue. They also face an outgoing Democratic governor, John Corzine, who lost by a significant margin, and an incoming Republican, Chris Christie, who has vowed to veto the bill if it hits his desk and not Corzine’s. Christie takes office at noon on Tuesday, January 19, exactly two weeks from today.
Even on the slight chance the bill passes, the New Jersey General Assembly would have to approve the measure before it could make its way to the Governor. Time is not on their side.
So why vote? As in New York, marriage equality proponents want to get their Senators on record. Already in New York, constituents are lining up and joining forces to vote out of office the “Hate 38,” those Senators who voted against the gay marriage bill. New Jerseyans are looking at the same battle should the measure fail.