MARYLAND: First Batch Of Petitions Due

Opponents of civil equality in Maryland must today submit one-third of the required 55,736 petition signatures needed to force marriage equality onto the November ballot. According to the bigots, they will easily make both today's and the final requirement.

Maryland Marriage Alliance officials said earlier this month they were more than two-thirds of the way to their ultimate goal and expect to easily clear this week’s initial hurdle. “We’re going to put this thing to rest,” said Delegate Emmett C. Burns Jr., Baltimore County Democrat who opposes gay marriage. “Once it’s put to rest, these politicians who are coming out in favor of this are going to be debunked and embarrassed.” Most polls in recent months have shown Marylanders to be almost evenly divided on the issue, but a survey released last week by Public Policy Polling showed a drastic increase in state voters who support legalizing gay marriage.