Tammy Baldwin, who became the first openly gay US senator, winning in Wisconsin. (photo: Andy Manis/AP)
07 November 12
n
an historic election night for the gay rights movement, voters in Maine
and Maryland became the first in the country to approve same-sex
marriage, breaking a 32-state losing streak.
According to the Associated Press,
Maine passed a ballot measure legalizing it on Tuesday night - an issue
put on the ballot by gay marriage supporters - while voters in Maryland
approved a law legalizing gay marriage that was actually passed earlier
this year by the state legislature. The Washington Post reports that
gay couples in Maryland will be able to wed starting Jan. 1.
Gay marriage is on the ballot in four states. Voters in Washington state are weighing in on a similar referendum,
while Minnesota voters rejected an amendment to the state constitution
that would have solidified a ban on gay marriage. It remains illegal in
the state after Tuesday's vote.
"It's hard to overstate the national significance of
this vote," Mark Solomon, the national campaign director of Freedom to
Marry, which supports gay marriage, said in a statement about the Maine
initiative. "For years, our opponents have argued that we could not win a
majority vote at the ballot. Today, Maine voters proved them wrong,
standing up for the Golden Rule and for freedom for all Mainers."
Maine and Maryland join six other states -
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Iowa, Vermont, New York and Connecticut -
and the District of Columbia to allow gay marriage.
Tuesday's election was the first time gay marriage was
on the ballot since President Barack Obama became the first sitting
president to declare his support for it in May. It also marked another
milestone for gay rights advocates: Wisconsin Democrat Rep. Tammy Baldwin became the first openly gay candidate elected to the U.S. Senate.
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