Gay marriage likely to return to Mane Legislature in 209

Supporters and opponents of gay marriage are gathering signatures, lobbying lawmakers and drafting legislation in anticipation of a Statehouse battle over the issue in 2009.

In recent weeks, the politically charged issue has been heating up in Maine ahead of the new legislative session, which begins in early January. Coalitions of religious leaders on both sides have held press conferences advocating laws that would either make it legal for same-sex couples to wed or constitutionally prohibit the practice.

The advocacy group Equality Maine is ramping up its game, after three years of a low-key public education campaign to highlight gay and lesbian issues. And in opposition, a new group, the Maine Marriage Alliance, is pushing for an amendment to the state constitution that would define marriage as being between a man and a woman.

"Efforts are pretty clearly under way to simply redefine marriage in the state," said the Rev. Bob Emrich, pastor of Emmanuel Bible Baptist Church in Plymouth and a founder of the alliance. "Let's put that issue to rest. We want to define marriage, put it in the current constitution so we don't have to wonder if the court or Legislature will overturn it."

Equality Maine has been talking with various groups around the state since 2005, when voters upheld a gay rights law passed by the Legislature, according to executive director Betsy Smith. On Election Day, Equality Maine had 350 volunteers at 86 polling places, asking residents to sign postcards supporting same-sex marriage that would be sent to legislators. The goal was 10,000 signatures, and they collected 33,190, said Smith.

"There is clearly a lot of support for us winning marriage in Maine. There's a lot of momentum, there's a lot of enthusiasm. We're really getting a lay of the land," she said. "We'd be very excited to go forward with a bill."

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Kennebec Journal, ME