When Attorney General Douglas Gansler issued his February opinion recognizing same-sex marriages from out of state, it made Maryland the next state to watch on gay marriage. The prediction seems logical in a state dominated by Democratic voters and legislators, many of them liberal-leaning. But far from calling a victory, advocates are counting on a counterintuitive strategy: Stalling.
That’s because a referendum is likely to follow passage of any new marriage law, and voters have not favored gay marriage in states where a popular vote was held. Advocates here want to put off that possibility until public opinion moves more in their favor.
In more than a decade of bills on same-sex marriage, none have passed the General Assembly. And as Maryland follows the trajectory of states that have legalized gay marriage, advocates may not want a vote anytime soon.
Click here for gay marriage resources in Maryland.
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