The Maryland Marriage Alliance (MMA) today announced they have submitted over 113,000 valid signatures of voters, more than two times the number necessary to qualify a referendum putting the definition of marriage on the November ballot.
Though they are confident to qualify on this initial submission, the group will continue to collect signatures into late June to give voters the additional opportunity to express their opposition to redefining marriage. The group needs only to collect 55,736 valid signatures by June 30, 2012 to qualify the referendum.
“This incredible accomplishment has been possible because of our diverse partnership of allies that includes community organizations and faith-based groups from all ethnic, religious and geographic segments of the state,” said Derek McCoy Executive Director of the Maryland Marriage Alliance. “Support for the referendum was strong from the beginning,
and has only intensified once President Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage.”
The Maryland Legislature narrowly passed legislation, House Bill 438, to redefine marriage, overturning Maryland’s longstanding law defining marriage as between one man and one woman, a definition that has been followed by virtually every civilization since the dawn of mankind. The overwhelming response to the signature collection effort clearly demonstrates the fact that the people of Maryland will not stand for a redefinition of marriage. Like voters
in 32 other states across the country where this issue has been on the ballot, they will inevitably vote to uphold the true definition of marriage when they go to the polls in November.
McCoy concluded “Even though we have already secured far more signatures than are necessary to qualify the referendum, we intend to continue the petition drive into June in order to give more voters the opportunity to formally join the effort,” McCoy said. “The demand among the grassroots to get involved in the campaign to preserve traditional
marriage seems to be insatiable.”
The Maryland Marriage Alliance includes the Maryland Family Alliance, Maryland Catholic Conference, the National Organization for Marriage, and host of Maryland churches, organizations, and citizens.
