Maine Gets Potential Ballot Question

Here is the question that Maine election officials have drafted to appear on the November ballot if the haters get enough petition signatures: "Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?"

Maine citizens have an amount of time, from when a bill is signed by the governor until it is effective, to collect and have verified a number of signatures of registered Maine voters equivalent to 10 percent of the total votes for governor in the last gubernatorial election in order to force a statewide vote on the measure. The current threshold to force a so-called "people's veto" is 55,087 certified signatures. Petitioners have until 90 days after the Legislature adjourns to collect 55,087 signatures. The secretary of state then has 30 days to certify the signatures. If the secretary of state rules that sufficient signatures have been affixed on the instrument of petition, the stay continues until after the voters decide on the question at a statewide election.