Maine Roundup: New Poll Gives Hope; NO on 1 Calls Out the Opposition; Gov. to Speak in Our Favor

New Polls Gives Hope But Shows We Need to Work HARD

With 8 days left until the election, anything can happen. Today's new poll shows us leading, with 53% rejecting Question 1 with 42% in favor with 6% undecided.

Yes, this is good news but the last days of a campaign are volatile. And the opposition will stop at nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, with its smear campaign to scare voters into stripping us of our rights.

Nevada Progressive puts it well - The Opposition Is Now Throwing Everything INCLUDING the Kitchen Sink at LGBT Families

We need to keep the lead. The number one way to win is to GET OUT THE VOTE. Get our supporters to the polls.

ACTION: Call marriage equality supporters and remind them to vote!

1. If you live far from Maine but are eager to make a difference, you can phone bank from home. Sign up at Call for Equality.
2. If you do live near Maine, go to Drive for Equality, where you can look for carpools in your area headed up to the Pine Tree State so you can volunteer and help Get Out the Vote!
3. If you actually live in Maine, VOTE EARLY! Not only will the NO on 1 campaign see a record of your vote, it will free you up on election day to help get supporters to the polls.
4. DONATE! You can do this no matter where you live.

NO on 1 Campaign Calls Out the Opposition's Bulls***

In a press release just sent out, the NO on 1 campaign calls out the hypocrisy of the Yes on 1's tactics and sleight of hand maneuvers, including NOM who is in court today trying to wiggle out of obeying Maine's campaign laws.

The NO on 1 campaign called on the Question 1 campaign to stop changing the subject and focus instead on its issues of lopsided funding by a national organization intent on hiding its donor base from the voting public. In fact, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the number one donor to the Yes campaign is in court today to stop any donor disclosure.

The NO on 1 campaign noted that instead of answering those questions, the Yes campaign turned its attack guns on Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree.

"It is both ironic and insulting that the Yes on 1 campaign tries to attack a citizen legislator who fully discloses her livelihood on the very day their largest donor is in court to hide its fundraising base from the Maine voting public," said Jesse Connolly, NO on 1 campaign manager.

According to Maine campaign finance reports, the Yes campaign has received more than $1.55M from the National Organization for Marriage which is essentially financing that campaign. Today, NOM is in federal court seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent Maine campaign officials from asking them to reveal its individual contributors.

Today, in another attempt to distract voters, the Yes campaign alleged that Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree did not disclose a short-term consultancy with the NO on 1 campaign. In fact, Pingree serves as a citizen legislator and makes her livelihood as a professional fund raiser for causes and organizations she supports. The NO on 1 campaign, operating on a full transparency basis both with Maine campaign officials and voters, revealed a $5,175 payment to Pingree on Oct. 7 in its latest campaign report.

"We engaged Hannah Pingree because she's a fundraising professional and she helped us for a short time," said Connolly. "Now, they've launched yet another baseless attack which is simply to cover up the big story today, that their number one donor doesn't want anyone in Maine to know where their money comes from. Do they honestly think we just fell off the turnip truck?"

These attacks from the Yes on 1 campaign are last ditch efforts to smear. As stated, Pingree is citizen legislator who consults. The Yes on 1 campaign has its own consultants, having paid anti-LGBT Rev. Bob Emrich $5,000.

But there also pitching a fit over Pingree because she's behind a huge GOTV (Get Out the Vote) effort on behalf of the NO on 1 campaign. And they're not liking it one bit.

Maine's Catholic Governor Baldacci to Speak Up for NO on 1

This is BIG news. Catholic Gov. John Baldacci, who was initially against marriage equality but realized he was wrong and signed the bill legalizing same-sex marriage, will be urging voters to vote NO on Question 1.

From a press release:

Governor John E. Baldacci will join with families supporting marriage equality at the home of Sally Dobres, 270 French Street in Bangor, on Tuesday, October 27, at 9:30 a.m., to urge Maine people to vote NO on Question 1. Speaking to begin at 10:00 a.m.

The event marks the beginning of the NO on 1 Campaign's GOTV program with thousands of volunteers from across the state contacting families, friends and neighbors to remind them to vote NO on Question 1 for fairness and equality for all Maine families.

Who: Governor John E. Baldacci and Maine families

What: Discuss the importance of voting NO on Question 1 for marriage equality

Where: The Home of Sally Dobres, 270 French Street in Bangor

When: Tuesday, October 27, at 9:30 a.m. Speaking to begin at 10:00 a.m.

Contact: Dorian Cole, 207-272-5941, dorian@protectmaineequality.org

Spread the word!

More articles:

Maine Businesspeople Announce Coalition in Support of Marriage Equality

National Implications In Maine Marriage Battle