Equality Maine had been preparing for election day for months, and had hoped to sign-up 10,000 supporters for a legislative push for same-sex marriage rights in Maine. They greatly exceeded their goals, and gathered more than 33,000 signatures.

Now same-sex marriage advocates have created a coalition of local religious leaders who are speaking out on the issue.

All this points to this issue being advanced in Maine through legislation and public advocacy rather than through court rulings, which have been the catalysts for equal marriage rights in other states.