The News-Press, news-press.com, Election, Anti-gay-marriage backers reach signature mark

The News-Press, news-press.com, Election, Anti-gay-marriage backers reach signature mark

By Jim Ashnew-press.com Tallahassee bureau chief Originally posted on December 13, 2007
TALLAHASSEE — Supporters of a Florida petition drive to ban gay marriage announced this morning that they have enough signatures to make the November ballot.“Today, the people of Florida have spoken and they will speak again in November of 2008,” said Orlando attorney John Stemberger, chairman of the People4Marriage.org Campaign.At a morning press conference, the group announced that they have garnered about 1,000 more certified signatures than the 611,009 required."I can't tell you that they've crossed that threshold yet," said Sterling Ivey, a spokesman for Secretary of State Kurt Browning. "They're close."The group was about 300 verified signatures short of the requirement this morning, but they are likely to reach the goal within the next few days, Ivey said.Stemberger vowed to "spend whatever we can raise," to reach the 60 percent majority vote the amendment needs for passage.He cited figures that suggested bi-partisan support for the ban, saying more than 35 percent of the signatures came from Democrats and more than 49 percent came from Republicans. More than 15 percent came from voters with no party affiliation, Stemberger said.One of the signatures belongs to Gov. Charlie Crist, although the state's top Republican has not trumpeted the issue during his first year in office."He's on record of supporting it. He hasn't backed down," Stemberger said.Florida Red&Blue, a bi-partisan coalition that is opposing the measure, never doubted Stemberger’s group would gather enough signatures, a spokesman said.“They’ve been trying for more than two years,” said Stephen Gaskill.Gaskill said his group has amassed a $2 million war chest and expects to spend as much as $10 million to defeat the measure.Gaskill said the measure is a political tool conservatives are using to bolster turnout in a presidential year.The measure is not necessary because Florida already has a law banning same sex marriage, Gaskill said. Supporters merely want a constitutional weapon to challenge domestic partnership laws that give benefits to gay and unmarried couples in Florida, Gaskill said.“The measure is definitely vague and misleading,” Gaskill said. “If this passes, all domestic partnerships are on the chopping block.”Supporters of a similar constitutional measure in Kentucky are now in court challenging that state’s domestic partnership laws, Gaskill said.“This measure is a massive government intrusion into people’s lives,” he said. “This is not what Floridians should be focusing on.”Stemberger told reporters he will not try to overturn Florida’s domestic partnership laws if the measure passes.