Predictions on marriage ballot measures

[bort138]

So happy for all you guys in Maryland! Still waiting for the final results here in Washington.

[JockBoy87]

Thanks bort!!

Good luck in Washington!

Looks good for an all-four victory!

[Kien]

When I went to vote today, people were aggressively telling people who were going in to vote no for question 6(marriage equality) and saying it's wrong to redefine marriage and family. I'd love the see the look on their smug faces now.

[JockBoy87]

When I went to vote today, people were aggressively telling people who were going in to vote no for question 6(marriage equality) and saying it's wrong to redefine marriage and family. I'd love the see the look on their smug faces now.

Weird. We had the opposite in Baltimore Co.

Your county is liberal too Kien. Like water on rocks.

[AstareGod]

I'm sorry about being so negative before about this... I just had a lot of disappointment regarding Propositions and gay marriage. I wish California had a similar proposition as Maryland to reverse prop 8. We will get it reversed legally regardless.

This election victory is like several punches into the right wing spin machine.

Personally, I was a bit pessimistic and did not think we would actually do as well as we seem to be doing now. My hope has been restored.

[JockBoy87]

Razor thin in Minnesota. Winnign by 5000 votes.

[AstareGod]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...n_2085900.html

Gay Marriage Victory: Voters Legalize Same-Sex Marriage In Maine And Maryland

For the first time in history, voters have chosen to legalize same-sex marriage on the ballot. Gay rights advocates are already celebrating this development as a critical victory and a turning point in the fight for marriage equality.

Since the late '90s, a total of 32 states have held votes on same-sex marriage, and each time, voters have opposed the measure. For opponents of same-sex marriage, this string of victories has been a crucial talking point. As Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, the nation's leading group opposing gay marriage, said in a press release this summer: "The American people know in their heart what marriage is, and they have expressed that in the form of over 70 million votes cast in 32 consecutive state elections to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman."

But on Tuesday night, voters in Maine and Maryland chose to legalize gay marriage, according to exit polls and early returns. In Minnesota and Washington, the results were not yet clear as of this writing.

[...]

[JockBoy87]

I am declaring a turning point for the movement for marriage.

[AstareGod]

I found a page on Washington Secretary of State's website with results from R74. I wondered why the results on CNN's site hadn't changed in a while, so I went poking around for an alternate site. It looks like Washington's own .gov website would be the best source, and it looks like the results have actually been stuck at 52% Approve, 48% Reject with 50% reporting in.

Since Seattle is eventually where I plan to live, I'm super anxious about the results in Washington.

http://vote.wa.gov/results/20121106/...x-couples.html

[JockBoy87]

^^^ I usually use the gov. sites or major newspapers. We have won at least half of the contests for sure, and looks good for at least one more.

Regardless, this will have a national and international impact.

[GiancarloC]

OH my gawd... this was something I was totally wrong about tonight... I said Obama would get 300+ electoral votes... but those gay marriage laws allowing it I didn't expect.

I think Obama has had an impact on the views of same sex marriage among Latinos and African Americans.

[bankside]

I think the success of equal marriage when put to a vote actually strengthens the persuasiveness of pro-equality arguments in court.

A state that refuses to give full faith and credit to a legal marriage in another state is now not just thwarting the will of a judge or the will of a legislature, but the will of the people.

While mob permission is never required to demand one's equality, it does make the process easier in the backwards corners of your country.

[AstareGod]

According to http://vote.wa.gov/results/20121106/Turnout.html, Washington R74's numbers were last updated at 21:28 PST, which was about 1h and 10m earlier than this post. Their next count should be done at 22:30 PST, 10 minutes ago. So... perhaps the numbers will be updated soon. I hope so!

[sixthson]

It's beginning to look like there might be a wedding in our backyard next summer. Go Minnesota!

[JockBoy87]

It's beginning to look like there might be a wedding in our backyard next summer. Go Minnesota!

That's the tragedy.

We were all defense in Minnesota. A victory was the fact that it wasn't banned in Minnesota's constitution

However, the political rammifications can't be understated.

The rug has been pulled from underneath conservatives on marriage equality. It should pass in a democratic legislature like a knife through butter.

It makes it much more difficult now for legislators and the governor to vote against.

[GiancarloC]

That's the tragedy.

We were all defense in Minnesota. A victory was the fact that it wasn't banned in Minnesota's constitution

Honestly I wish California thought that way in 2008... defense sometimes is a win... even if it's half of a win.

Minnesota is doing well for itself.

[JockBoy87]

Brian Brown tonight is like Cornwallis at Yorktown, wondering how a bunch of mindless farmers with pitchforks won the American Revolution.

[frankfrank]

I had so many disappointments, for so many years, seeing gay-issue elections ALWAYS going the wrong way. THOSE DAYS HAVE ENDED!!!!!!

And, though Obama is not the perfect President, he's the very FIRST President that LGBT people have ever had. It appears the Senate has been retained, and it was great to see Todd Akin lose in Missouri, and Toxic Tommy lose in Wisconsin. Tammy Baldwin successfully got a promotion from her at-large constituents across Wisconsin, graduating to the Senate, and I feel that she will be good for humans and other living things.

It's interesting to see that neighboring (to here) Missouri elected a Democratic governor, but a Republican lieutenant-governor. Other things will continue to reveal themselves as I keep encountering them on this VERY, very happy night.

R. I. P. "Tea Party" b. 2008 d. 2012

[Kulindahr]

What did you expect it to look like? I pretty much knew the majority of King county would approve it.

I do wish the maps would not be just solid blue or solid red (or green and grayish-green in this case), but shaded or have a pattern that denotes how much % majority that county or state has. Just having two colors makes it hard to determine what the overall pictures looks like.

On the colors -- good idea.

I expected a more solid band along I-5.

[Kulindahr]

I'm sorry about being so negative before about this... I just had a lot of disappointment regarding Propositions and gay marriage. I wish California had a similar proposition as Maryland to reverse prop 8. We will get it reversed legally regardless.

This election victory is like several punches into the right wing spin machine.

I think it's actually better being reversed in court. If reversals come in several forms, it gives a broader "resume" for SCOTUS to look at.

[eastofeden]

I want to thank Mr Obama for doing the right thing...and I beleive because he stood up for us he finally shifted the balance so we could win the votes we did tonight.

I also want to acknowledge all of the people who have fought so hard for so many years...every single person who stood up for equality and made a difference...so many of them are no longer with us so I hope wherever they are that they can see or feel that all of their hard work did pay off.....

[Kulindahr]

Razor thin in Minnesota. Winnign by 5000 votes.

The local stations are saying Washington's is too close to call, too.

[Kulindahr]

That's the tragedy.

We were all defense in Minnesota. A victory was the fact that it wasn't banned in Minnesota's constitution

However, the political rammifications can't be understated.

The rug has been pulled from underneath conservatives on marriage equality. It should pass in a democratic legislature like a knife through butter.

It makes it much more difficult now for legislators and the governor to vote against.

I'm toasting the befuddling of the Minnesota Marriage Malarkey Minutes.

[JockBoy87]

The local stations are saying Washington's is too close to call, too.

Our victories will have implications for Oregon, I promise.

The ratio of compaign donations to the other side and ours was stark. We raised way way more money than they did.

Our opponents are losing steam, and it will be harder for them to win as time goes by.

As evidenced by today's victories.

[AstareGod]

On the colors -- good idea.

I expected a more solid band along I-5.

If I could tie together Excel and Inkscape I think I could easily do this!

Cowlitz (18% difference) and Lewis (32% difference) look to be the counties with the largest margins along this corridor. There are other counties with much larger margins, but there are a few closer ones, too. I would have betted the biggest population centers (Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, and Vancouver) to be more for it than against it, and it seems this is the case. Spokane ... that's a different story.

NBC News is reporting that Maryland and Maine both passed the amendment allowing same-sex marriage. So whoo!

[GiancarloC]

If I could tie together Excel and Inkscape I think I could easily do this!

Cowlitz (18% difference) and Lewis (32% difference) look to be the counties with the largest margins along this corridor. There are other counties with much larger margins, but there are a few closer ones, too. I would have betted the biggest population centers (Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, and Vancouver) to be more for it than against it, and it seems this is the case. Spokane ... that's a different story.

NBC News is reporting that Maryland and Maine both passed the amendment allowing same-sex marriage. So whoo!

If I had a shot of booze for every victory we had tonight, I'd be in the hospital for alcohol poisoning.

That's great news.

[JockBoy87]

Kudos to Just_Believe

He was the only one to predict four victories.

[JockBoy87]

No word no emails from the bigots.

Not a peep.

[AstareGod]

No word no emails from the bigots.

Not a peep.

I think they all went to bed after Ohio turned blue.

[hotatlboi]

Huge change on this issue tonight, with all 4 measures passing.

I think things will pick up pretty quickly from here.

[Ninja108]

Indeed they did. And good riddance to them.

[AstareGod]

Huge change on this issue tonight, with all 4 measures passing.

I think things will pick up pretty quickly from here.

Technically Minnesota's is NOT passing, which is what we want. Minnesota's measure is to approve an amendment to DENY same-sex marriage. Reading from the Huffington Post's particle, with 87% reporting in, this measure did NOT pass, meaning there is NO amendment AGAINST same-sex marriage. 47% Yes (1,213,845 votes) against 51% No (1,316,555)

http://www.startribune.com/politics/...177544631.html

Same-sex marriage ban falling short of passage

The proposed marriage amendment to the Minnesota Constitution appeared to be falling short of passage early Wednesday morning.

With a chunk of precincts in Minneapolis still not counted because of technical glitches, support for the amendment had been trailing throughout the night. Final numbers were not available at the time this edition went to press, but the amendment to ban same-sex marriage had never crossed the crucial 50 percent barrier for all votes cast. Heading into Election Day, recent polls had shown the measure a dead heat, but also showed amendment support edging downward for weeks.

Amendment supporters and opponents had spent the last week in an all-out blitz to fire up their diverse and fragile coalitions across the state, stringing together supporters of all ages, religious faiths and political persuasions and on Tuesday night, neither was giving an inch.

[...]

[AstareGod]

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/dis...age-amendment/

Marriage amendment defeated

Minnesota voters have defeated the amendment against same-sex marriage.

With nearly 88 percent of the state's precincts reporting, just over 47 percent of voters backed the amendment. More than half opposed it and another 1 percent left the question blank on their ballots.

To win, the amendment would have had to garner at least 50 percent of all votes cast in the election.

The results culminated a battle begun in spring 2011 when the Legislature put the measure on the ballot.

The election result doesn't change Minnesota law but it means the constitution won't include language defining marriage as between one man and one woman.

[...]

[GiancarloC]

YAY! I just got an email about it! Congrats to those in Minnesota! You stood up for the right thing!

The right wing extremists in this country were beaten to a pulp.

[Rolyo85]

Oh, to be a fly on Kalley Yanta's wall right now. Or better yet - Brian Brown or Tony Perkins ^_^ After all the hateful Christian Love in The Four, and especially Minnesota, I've been having an hour long full-body orgasm of gloating while marriage equality was winning in state after state.

[JockBoy87]

I think NOM is shocked.

There is no word from any of the anti gay bigots.

They are shocked to the core.

Their psyche and will to fight is destroyed.

They lost everything tonight.

[CoolBlue71]

I have been a little behind.

Watching ABC News: Maine and Maryland voted in support of same-sex marriage. The state of Washington is not yet determined. Minnesota said no to banning same-sex marriage.

One poster said it wasn't going to happen. I said if Maryland can carry for the president by 24 points (from 2008), the Democratic votes there should deliver favorably on this issue. Glad they have!

Colorado and Washington voted to legalize marijuana.

[JockBoy87]

There are a lot of reasons why we won so handily tonight...

We will continue to discuss these in coming days.

[frankfrank]

It is so great to see all of this exceed the early-in-the-week expectations! to say that I am pleasantly surprised is the biggest understatement I've made about anything in months.

I haven't had any exposure to the TV and radio media in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington - during the most recent period leading up to this election. I assume there were blitzes of negative media attention, ads, scare tactics, etc. all over these states during the final two or three weeks.

That dog is dead, and it ain't gonna hunt no mo'.

[Kulindahr]

I think NOM is shocked.

There is no word from any of the anti gay bigots.

They are shocked to the core.

Their psyche and will to fight is destroyed.

They lost everything tonight.

Not for long. They'll keep fighting in order to "save the country". As they see it, as long as they fight, God won't send punishments to destroy America.

As if America were so special....

[Just_Believe18]

Hey, AstareGod. This gives you more of a reason to come be with me in Washington.

[JockBoy87]

Not for long. They'll keep fighting in order to "save the country". As they see it, as long as they fight, God won't send punishments to destroy America.

As if America were so special....

Well the wind is knocked out of them...

Now it will be impossible to stop marriage equality in Oregon, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan.

[scream4ever]

I'm sorry about being so negative before about this... I just had a lot of disappointment regarding Propositions and gay marriage. I wish California had a similar proposition as Maryland to reverse prop 8. We will get it reversed legally regardless.

This election victory is like several punches into the right wing spin machine.

Prop 8 will likely be dead and buried in a matter of weeks.

[AstareGod]

Hey, AstareGod. This gives you more of a reason to come be with me in Washington.

As if I needed another reason! I know nothing is official in Washington yet regarding marriage, but I'm pushing so hard on this I swear I'm burning calories.

[frankfrank]

I am still in shock. ALL FOUR went our way! Yes, a GRAND SLAM!!!!

[rareboy]

Well done to all those who supported the cause of human rights in the US.

[Rolyo85]

Hahaha, NOM - having spent 5 million dollars on bigotry nationwide - are riding the waaambulance and bitching that it's the money's fault because they were outspent. Not true, bitches, it's the fact that people are sick of your hatred. But of course, money is all they know and all they really care about, so that's what they'd think.

I wonder if Brian Brown cried again last night like when he lost NY ^_^

[GiancarloC]

Hahaha, NOM - having spent 5 million dollars on bigotry nationwide - are riding the waaambulance and bitching that it's the money's fault because they were outspent. Not true, bitches, it's the fact that people are sick of your hatred. But of course, money is all they know and all they really care about, so that's what they'd think.

I wonder if Brian Brown cried again last night like when he lost NY ^_^

Even if they were outspent that shows something. More people standing up and donating to the cause of equality and decency. NOM should go back under the rock they crawled under.

We got every bill passed and the one anti-gay one rejected in Minnesota... well... one question... did the one in Washington pass in our favor?

[JockBoy87]

Even if they were outspent that shows something. More people standing up and donating to the cause of equality and decency. NOM should go back under the rock they crawled under.

We got every bill passed and the one anti-gay one rejected in Minnesota... well... one question... did the one in Washington pass in our favor?

The Washington race isn't officially called even though it's 52-48 right now.

There will be updates after 4 PM.

Hahaha, NOM - having spent 5 million dollars on bigotry nationwide - are riding the waaambulance and bitching that it's the money's fault because they were outspent. Not true, bitches, it's the fact that people are sick of your hatred. But of course, money is all they know and all they really care about, so that's what they'd think.

I wonder if Brian Brown cried again last night like when he lost NY ^_^

Brian Brownshirt will not show weakness. That's why he didn't release any public statements conceding. The line he's pulling now is that this loss for him wasn't a big deal due to the 30 other states.

Inside, he knows it's a big deal. He was shut out of every contest NOM put money into, including elections in Iowa and New York.

Also, New Hampshire just elected a Democratic governor, again shutting out any chance for repeal there.

[GiancarloC]

The Washington race isn't officially called even though it's 52-48 right now.

There will be updates after 4 PM.




Brian Brownshirt will not show weakness. That's why he didn't release any public statements conceding. The line he's pulling now is that this loss for him wasn't a big deal due to the 30 other states.

Inside, he knows it's a big deal. He was shut out of every contest NOM put money into, including elections in Iowa and New York.

Also, New Hampshire just elected a Democratic governor, again shutting out any chance for repeal there.

http://vote.wa.gov/results/current/R..._ByCounty.html

This will be an important one to refresh. It looks to be holding steady at that percentage. We'll see. Urban centers voted in favor and will help the cause.

That's a good thing about New Hampshire.