Remember the Maine! Voters to Decide Gay Marriage in Pine Tree State

It's been overshadowed by the big conservative surge in Upstate New York, but don't forget the national significance of Maine's vote tomorrow on marriage traditionalism. See, "Maine to Vote on Gay Marriage":

Maine residents will decide Tuesday whether to repeal a law allowing same-sex marriage, an effort that has succeeded in every state where it has been put before voters.

Public opinion surveys in Maine show a dead heat on Question 1, which would cancel the marriage statute that passed the legislature in May and was signed by Gov. John E. Baldacci (D).

In the five other states where gay men and lesbians are allowed to marry their partners, permission was granted by courts or legislatures. Baldacci expressed guarded optimism Sunday about the effort to defeat the Maine proposition.

"I believe it's something in the water or the air in this state that recognizes individual rights and anti-discrimination attitudes," the governor said by phone from Augusta, the capital. "It's more of a libertarian-type state than it is Republican or Democrat. We have two Republican senators, two Democratic representatives, and there have been two independent governors."

The campaign against same-sex marriage in Maine draws heavily from the effort that a year ago overturned a California Supreme Court ruling allowing same-sex marriage. TV commercials produced by Schubert Flint Public Affairs, a Sacramento consulting firm, feature parents lamenting that their young children are being taught in school that marriage between two women or two men is normal. Nearly identical ads were highly effective in California.

"I refer to it as sustainable advertising, where you have the same themes," said Scott Fish, communications director for Stand for Marriage Maine. "It's the same issue, and many of the concerns were the same."

The race is a tossup. From Nate Silver, "2009 Elections Preview: Maine Question 1 (Gay Marriage)." So, voter mobilization is in high gear. From the Bangor Daily News, "Get-Out-The-Vote Effort in High Gear: Gay Marriage, TABOR, Excise Taxes Likely to Draw Crowds to Polls."

Also, for nationwide ballot contests, see "State Ballots Tackle Controversial Issues Tuesday."