Question 1 2009 - 

Type and Purpose of Ballot Measure:
Date Passed: 3 November 2009

Summary:
A voter referendum rejecting a bill legalizing marriage equality in Maine. The measure passed 53%-47%. Three years the outcome of the referendum was reversed when Maine voters passed Question 1 2012 (see below).

Question 1 2012 -An Act to Allow Marriage Licenses for Same-Sex Couples and Protect Religious Freedom

Type & Purpose of Ballot Measure: A citizen initiative brought by Equality Maine and GLAD to restore marriage equality to the state of Maine. The ballot question read: Do you want to allow the State of Maine to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples?
Date Passed:6 November 2012

Summary:

• 26 January 26, 2012, supporters delivered over 105,000 petition signatures for the initiative to the Secretary of State's office, exceeding the minimum of 57,277 signatures required for initiatives in the state. 23 February 2012, the Secretary of State announced that the office had verified 85,216 signatures, qualifying it for the November 2012 ballot.
• The 2012 campaign to legalize marriage for same-sex couples was led by a group called Mainers United for Marriage.
• 6 November 6 2012, in a reversal of the vote three years earlier, Maine became one of the first U.S. states to approve same-sex marriage through a ballot initiative and the fifth New England state to legalize same-sex marriage. The results were a reverse of those seen on the 2009 referendum, with 53 percent in favor and 47 percent opposed.
• (Maryland and Washington voters also approved same-sex marriage the same day.)
• 29 November 2012, the election results were certified by Governor LePage.
• Marriage equality went into effect in Maine on 29 December 2012.