Failure for New Hampshire gay marriage repeal effort

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Legislators in the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted down a proposal to repeal same-sex marriage rights in the state on Wednesday. The repeal measure garnered 116 votes, but this was outweighed by 211 votes to continue allowing same-sex couples to marry. Civil unions were introduced in New Hampshire in 2007, followed by same-sex marriage in 2009.

	They blew it. This was supposed to be the most favorable legislative climate for repeal and they couldn't even get a majority.
—Craig Stowell

If the repeal bill had passed, it would have rolled back the state's law in to allow civil unions but not same-sex marriage. Governor John Lynch has stated that he would veto any repeal bill the legislature passed. Both New Hampshire's House and Senate are controlled by Republicans.

Craig Stowell, co-chairman of Standing Up for New Hampshire Families, which support same-sex marriage rights, said that those trying to repeal the law "blew it": "This was supposed to be the most favorable legislative climate for repeal and they couldn't even get a majority."

The anti-gay marriage group, the National Organization for Marriage, has stated that they will spend $250,000 to support the reelection campaigns of the lawmakers who voted for the repeal bill, while the New Hampshire Republicans of Freedom and Equality PAC has stated they will be raising money to support Republican candidates who voted against the repeal measure.

In the United States, same-sex marriage is now legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia.

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Sources

Norma Love. "Gay marriage advocates declare victory in NH" — Yahoo! News, March 22, 2012
Ros Kransy. "Move to end New Hampshire gay marriage law fails" — Chicago Tribune, March 21, 2012

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