New Hampshire Legislators Finally Get Out The Votes For Gay Marriage
The New Hampshire state House has now passed a gay marriage bill after a misfire two weeks ago, putting this state on the road to full marriage equality.
So what has made the difference? Two weeks ago, I pointed out that this bill had become a case study in get-out-the-vote for a chamber of 400 members. The initial version passed by a 178-167 margin. But Gov. John Lynch (D) wouldn't sign it without expressly codified exemptions for religious institutions that didn't want to participate in gay marriage.
That new version then initially failed by a margin of 188-186 -- owing mainly to marriage opponents doing a better job this time of getting their people to the chamber.
But now the new version has passed 198-176. Marriage-equality supporters took another bite at the apple, ironed out some final language, and picked up those remaining votes they needed.
Late Update: Gov. Lynch has signed the bill, officially legalizing gay marriage in the state of New Hampshire. The new law will take effect January 1, 2010.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Okay, so that's 13.8%, 6.5% and 6.5% of legislators skipping out on what's got to be their highest-profile vote this year. Is it normally this difficult to get state legislators to show up to work? Or are were they just trying to duck responsibility?
I've never before heard of a GOTV effort in a legislature. Am I the only one thinking WTF?
June 3, 2009 6:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
NH state legislature members (lower house) only get paid something like $175 a year... they typically have some other things to do
June 3, 2009 8:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
(There's no way to legally force a religious institution to "participate in" any sort of marriage that they don't want to participate in. That's been long settled wrt mixed-race marriages, etc.)
June 3, 2009 8:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now in North America there is a dynamic economic zone,,,, New England, Eastern Ontario and Southern Quebec,,,,,, where marriage equality is the law of the land. Add New York, where marriage equality from other states is recognized in law,,,, and soon will pass marriage equality itself seems likely.
Politics does follow economics.
June 4, 2009 8:50 AM | Reply | Permalink