Maine Sees Late-Day Poll Rush As Gay Marriage Question Draws Voters

The Bangor Daily News reports that Bangor's consolidated polling place saw a crush of voters after 4 p.m., pushing the turnout past 50 percent at 6 p.m., two hours before the polls closed. The big draw is a vote on whether to uphold the state's gay marriage law.

"This is bigger than a gubernatorial election," said City Clerk Patti Dubois.

"We staffed for an off-year election with a 35 percent turnout," she said. "By six o'clock, we'd already had a 50 percent turnout."

With 14 percent of precincts reporting, 52 percent have voted no on Question 1, meaning they voted to uphold gay marriage.

Voters are likely coming out in such numbers to vote on a gay marriage law. If the majority of residents vote no on Question 1, a law passed this year legalizing gay marriage will be upheld. If they vote yes, it will be abolished.

A good turnout is a sign that gay marriage in the state will be upheld.

In South Portland, the city clerk said she ran out of ballots and had to send for more than 1,000 extra. The copies cannot be read by voting machines, however, and will have to be counted by hand.