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Petition vs. gay marriage advances
Number of signers breaks state record
Backers of a constitutional ban on gay marriage in Massachusetts have shattered a 20-year-old record for the most certified signatures ever gathered in support of a proposed ballot question.
Secretary of State William F. Galvin this week certified the signatures of 123,356 registered voters, nearly twice as many as the number required to get on the ballot.
Supporters of the ban said their effort shows that gay marriage is still a burning issue among thousands of voters, and legislators should pay heed.
''The people have not just spoken, they have shouted to let the people vote on the definition of marriage," said Kristian Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, which spearheaded the signature drive.
The petition drew the signatures of Governor Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann; former House speaker Thomas M. Finneran, now the president of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council; and former Boston mayor Raymond L. Flynn. If the petition receives the support of at least 25 percent of the Legislature in two successive sessions, it would appear on the ballot in November 2008.
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Number of signers breaks state record
Backers of a constitutional ban on gay marriage in Massachusetts have shattered a 20-year-old record for the most certified signatures ever gathered in support of a proposed ballot question.
Secretary of State William F. Galvin this week certified the signatures of 123,356 registered voters, nearly twice as many as the number required to get on the ballot.
Supporters of the ban said their effort shows that gay marriage is still a burning issue among thousands of voters, and legislators should pay heed.
''The people have not just spoken, they have shouted to let the people vote on the definition of marriage," said Kristian Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, which spearheaded the signature drive.
The petition drew the signatures of Governor Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann; former House speaker Thomas M. Finneran, now the president of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council; and former Boston mayor Raymond L. Flynn. If the petition receives the support of at least 25 percent of the Legislature in two successive sessions, it would appear on the ballot in November 2008.
more…