With Maine passage, ten percent of states allow same-sex marriages

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May 6, 2009

With Maine passage, ten percent of states allow same-sex marriages

Maine Governor John Baldacci has just signed into law a bill passed by the Legislature this week that makes same-sex marriage legal. In so doing, Maine becomes the fifth state to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, and Vermont have also enacted similar laws.

California voters rescinded the Golden State's earlier stance on this issue by passing Proposition 8 in last November's election. The initiative amended the state Constitution to specifically define a valid marriage as being "between a man and a woman." In all, some thirty states have added similar constitutional amendments, including Tennessee in 2006.

With a three-fifths majority of states trending toward placing a hard, though not irreversible, ban on so-called gay marriage in their foundational documents, and a small-but-growing minority of states--mostly with geographical affinity, it should be pointed out--heading in the opposite direction, is it fair to say that same-sex marriage will continue to be a primarily regional difference for quite a long time?

And, assuming that eventually most places will wind up siding with Maine and company (an assumption, to be fair, I'm not certain is valid), where will the last holdouts be? Surely the South, or major portions of it; but there's also the Midwest, and don't forget Utah.

Elections , Government , Policy | By joe lance | 12:51 PM

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