Activists For & Against Gay Marriage Try To Sway Voters Before Referendum
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The ballot for this November's same-sex marriage referendum is set. Now activists for and against the law are reaching out to sway voters.
As Gigi Barnett reports, it means a door-to-door visit to get the word out.
A knock on the door could lead to a meeting of like minds for volunteers with Marylanders For Marriage Equality. This weekend, they're going door-to-door, canvassing Baltimore neighborhoods and looking for supporters of the state's civil marriage law, which goes before voters in November.
"This question, Question 6, is really about love. It's about commitment, it's about equality and we're asking you to vote for Question 6 this November," said Sultan Shakir, Marriage Equality's political director.
That's what Marriage Equality volunteers want voters to know about Question 6 on the ballot. The group is calling Saturday its statewide Day of Action, asking voters to say "yes."
"We know that the progression on marriage equality is a journey and that's why we're starting and having conversations with people today, because we know a lot of people are going to think about this issue," Shakir said.
But groups against same-sex marriage are gearing up too.
"This is about fundamentally redefining what marriage is," said Derek McCoy, Maryland Marriage Alliance.
Earlier this week, members of the Maryland Marriage Alliance gathered to prepare their strategy to meet voters as well. The group says it's concerned because the language of Question 6 could confuse voters and they plan to clear it up.
"If you understand that this is about redefining marriage, just vote 'no.' We're going to say that over and over again," McCoy said.
If Marriage Equality volunteers are successful in getting enough voters to the polls in November, same-sex couples will be able to start tying the knot in January.
Marriage equality supporters also canvassed neighborhoods in the surrounding counties as well.
