AUGUSTA, Maine — Couples anxious to wed under Maine’s new gay marriage law may have a long wait.
A formal challenge to it has been filed, setting into motion plans for a possible public vote that could be months or more than a year away.
Activists on both sides Thursday started working up strategies for campaigns leading up to a possible November referendum under a state constitutional provision known as the people’s veto.
The Roman Catholic Diocese said challengers expect to get the go-ahead by May 21 to begin collecting signatures to get a referendum on the bill, which was signed Wednesday by Gov. John Baldacci.
But supporters of Maine’s new law aren’t sitting quietly and said they plan their own campaign.
"Now that it is the law of the state of Maine, we will protect that law,” said Betsy Smith of EqualityMaine. "It’s disappointing we would need to raise a lot of money to protect a law in Maine.”
A formal challenge to it has been filed, setting into motion plans for a possible public vote that could be months or more than a year away.
Activists on both sides Thursday started working up strategies for campaigns leading up to a possible November referendum under a state constitutional provision known as the people’s veto.
The Roman Catholic Diocese said challengers expect to get the go-ahead by May 21 to begin collecting signatures to get a referendum on the bill, which was signed Wednesday by Gov. John Baldacci.
But supporters of Maine’s new law aren’t sitting quietly and said they plan their own campaign.
"Now that it is the law of the state of Maine, we will protect that law,” said Betsy Smith of EqualityMaine. "It’s disappointing we would need to raise a lot of money to protect a law in Maine.”
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