5 Reasons to Vote for Marriage on November 2nd

Make no mistake: The freedom to marry is on the ballot this year.

For the first time in years, there is no statewide attack seeking to ban or overturn marriage on the ballots Nov. 2, but that doesn't mean that we can't cast votes in favor of the freedom to marry. Here's a snapshot of what's at stake for the freedom to marry on Election Day next Tuesday:

• In Iowa, voters are being pressed to unseat three Supreme Court justices who ruled in favor of the freedom to marry.
• Close gubernatorial races will help determine whether the freedom to marry becomes a reality in states such as California, Rhode Island, Maine, and Minnesota as soon as 2011.
• The election will determine the membership and leadership of legislative bodies in states like Maryland and New York that could vote on marriage in the next year.
• And the makeup of Congress will have huge implications for Freedom to Marry's growing campaign to overturn the so-called "Defense of Marriage Act."

The National Organization for Marriage, their hidden funders, and other anti-gay groups are funneling millions of dollars into these races to oust pro-equality elected officials and replace them with anti-gay candidates. The best way you can counteract their efforts is by making sure that you and your friends exercise your right to vote on Election Day!

For the first time in years, there is no statewide attack seeking to ban or overturn marriage on the ballot, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t cast votes in favor of the freedom to marry. Here are five reasons you should vote on November 2:

 

1. Vote because we've waited long enough. The makeup of Congress after the
   November elections will impact our chances of ending federal marriage discrimination
   under the so-called "Defense of Marriage Act." DOMA deprives legally married
   same-sex couples of more than a thousand federal responsibilities and protections of
   marriage, including the ability to share Social Security benefits with a spouse, file joint tax returns, and sponsor a partner for a green card or U.S. citizenship.
2. Vote because the freedom to marry is on the line in several key states. We are on
   the cusp of winning marriage in a number of states, including New York, Maryland,
   Minnesota, and Rhode Island. The outcomes of gubernatorial and state legislative races in the states will significantly impact our ability to pass marriage equality legislation in 2011.
3. Vote because our opponents will. Although a majority of Americans nationwide now
   support the freedom to marry, we can only ensure that a majority of voters will also
   support ending marriage discrimination if you and other allies show up on Election Day.
4. Vote because Maggie Gallagher, Tony Perkins, and other anti-gay leaders don't
   want you to. The "National Organization for Marriage" and other anti-gay groups are
   spending millions of dollars promoting anti-gay candidates across the country and trying to oust pro-gay elected officials. You can counteract their efforts by exercising your right to vote.
5. Vote because it's the right thing to do.

Thanks for all you do,

Evan Wolfson
Executive Director, Freedom to Marry

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