In February, New Jersey’s Republican
Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a bill that narrowly passed the Garden State’s legislature
which would legalize gay marriage. Christie was firm that he would be forced to
veto such legislation, but he was clear to proponents of legalizing gay
marriage that he would happily support a statewide referendum on the issue. New
polls suggest that New Jersey are likely to pass such a referendum if it achieves
ballot access in November.
A Quinnipiac
University poll shows that, by a 57 – 37 percent margin, New Jersey
residents support gay marriage. 67 percent of New Jersey voters say that hey
approve of the measure being put to voters. A slight plurality, 48 – 47
percent, believes that Governor Christie did the right thing by vetoing the
state’s legislature on the issue of gay marriage.
No state has ever approved gay
marriage when put to a referendum. In 2008, California had a measure on the ballot
which would have sanctioned gay marriages in the state. However, proposition 8
was voted down, 52 to 48 percent, by Golden State voters even amidst a large
pro-Democratic turnout (President Obama defeated Sen. John McCain in California
by a 24 point margin). No state has passed gay marriage laws by referendum.
In 2012, the state of Maine
is likely to put the question of gay marriage to voters after supporters announced
they had gathered more than the required signatures to put the measure up for a
referendum. New Jersey may soon join Maine and would likely join a growing list
of states that allow for same sex marriages.
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