Timeline
The effort to win marriage equality in Maine began in early 2006, not long after winning non-discrimination protections for LGBT people. In June 2006, EqualityMaine officially launched a Public Education Initiative, with the goal of building broad support for the freedom to marry in Maine, and two years later, in December 2008, EqualityMaine made the formal decision to go forward with a marriage bill the following year.
On May 6, 2009, Maine became the first state in the country to pass a marriage bill through its Legislature and have it signed by its Governor.
During the summer of 2009, the Protect Maine Equality campaign countered the opposition's referendum challenge to the new law, and this culminated on November 3, 2009, with 267,785 votes being cast in support of marriage equality. This was a remarkable level of support but not enough to secure the law passed by the legislature the previous May.
On June 30, 2011, EqualityMaine and its coalition partners announced their intention to put marriage on the ballot in Maine in 2012. During the summer and fall of 2011, EqualityMaine organizers and volunteers collected over 100,000 signatures all over the state to get "An Act to Allow Marriage Licenses for Same-Sex Couples and Protect Religious Freedom" on the ballot in November 2012.
So what now?
Public education efforts already well underway are successfully moving Mainers to support marriage equality through face-to-face conversations at their front doors. Rural organizing teams around the state—including our team here in Lincoln County—are also sharing personal stories with their friends, family and neighbors about why marriage matters to gay and lesbian families.
We all need to continue talking about the importance of marriage equality. We need to reach out through personal one-on-one conversations in an effort to change hearts and minds.
