Md. Gay Marriage Foes Submit Repeal Effort Signatures

Associated Press

Wednesday May 30, 2012

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Opponents of Maryland's same-sex marriage law have delivered more than twice the number of signatures needed to put a referendum on the law on November's ballot.

Activists say they submitted 113,000 signatures on petitions on Tuesday - double the 55,736 needed to put the issue on the ballot. The state has 20 days to verify signatures.

Maryland's law legalizing same-sex marriage does not go into effect until January, leaving time to put the measure on the ballot for voters to decide.

Opponents were required to submit 18,579 signatures by Thursday to petition a law to referendum and had until June 30 to submit the remainder.

A spokesman for Marylanders for Marriage Equality said while it expected the petition to meet its target, those opposed to marriage equality are losing ground.

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