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Led by evangelical preacher
Roberto S. Miranda and Kris Mineau, the group was successful in getting the Massachusetts Legislature to vote on a proposed ban on future same sex marriages. The Massachusetts Constitution requires 50 affirmative votes (25%) at two consecutive Constitutional Conventions of
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marital relationship reflects the fundamental essence of laws of nature and anatomy, and ensures procreation and the nurturing of children." The organization supported a
Benefits Fairness Act that would allow some benefits for two adults in a dependent relationship who were ineligible for marriage.
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On
January 9, 2006, shortly after a news report of a paid signature gatherer alleging to the media she defrauded citizens, VoteOnMarriage.org sent a letter to the Secretary of State of Massachusetts asking his office to investigate the matter. The letter stated that VoteOnMarriage.org sought to
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VoteOnMarriage.org stated that its
Massachusetts Protection of Marriage Amendment would permit Massachusetts citizens to vote on the definition of marriage and that "Marriage as the union of a man and a woman is the universal model and predates all nations, religions and laws. The heterosexual
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comply fully with all applicable laws during the signature gathering process and had been found in full compliance by the
Attorney General. The letter also raised concerns about the legitimacy of the petition complaint reporting processes established by Knowthyneighbor.org.
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The deadline period for filing complaints with the
Election’s Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office related to the petition process was January 6, 2006. No formal challenges to the VoteOnMarriage.org signature-gathering effort were filed.
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VoteOnMarriage.org cited a poll conducted by the State House News
Service in Massachusetts finding that 75% of registered voters believed that the people, not the courts, should decide the definition of marriage in Massachusetts.
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the legislature, and the initial vote for the ban was 62 in favor. The second vote was defeated with 45 members voting in favor, so the issue was not included on 2008 ballot and same-sex marriage remained legal in
Massachusetts.
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techniques to obtain fraudulent signatures for their petition drive, and the
Massachusetts Attorney General initiated a criminal investigation regarding the forgery allegations. The group
38:. Its goal was to have the amendment voted on by the people of Massachusetts in the 2008 general election, but the amendment failed when it was defeated by a joint session of the
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published a searchable online database listing names and addresses of the petition signers, allowing signatures to be checked for fraud and complaints to be reported.
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On June 14, 2007, the most recent effort to enable a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage failed, and no active effort to do so continues.
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VoteOnMarriage.org Seeks
Investigation of Anti-Vote Websites and Prosecution of Paid Circulator | No Formal Challenges Filed by Signature Opponents
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Leading pro-marriage equality organization that has challenged the VoteOnMarriage.Org petition by making those signatures searchable online.
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Marriage Amendment Legislative Vote will be Delayed | New Poll Shows 75% of Registered Voters Want to Vote On Marriage
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LeBlanc, Steve (February 28, 2006). "State investigating gay marriage signature forgery allegations".
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dedicated to the passage of a constitutional amendment to the
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KnowThyNeighbor.org - Protect marriage for ALL families in MA
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VoteOnMarriage.org was accused of employing forgery and
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Frank Phillips and Lisa Wangsness (January 3, 2007).
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Political organization opposed to same-sex marriage
193:"Legislators vote to defeat same-sex marriage ban"
92:According to a March, 2005 poll conducted by
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384:from the Massachusetts court system website.
382:Unofficial synopsis and text of the decision
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143:VoteOnMarriage.org's Knowledge (XXG) Page
332:"Passage of marriage amendment in doubt"
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26:political organization in the state of
409:Same-sex marriage in the United States
304:Bonifaz, John C. (December 22, 2005).
272:Yardley, William (October 31, 2009).
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274:"Privacy Looms Over Gay Rights Vote"
105:Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health
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191:Phillips, Frank (June 14, 2007).
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149:Boston. Retrieved on 2009-03-07
306:"Fraud taints antigay measure"
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414:LGBTQ rights in Massachusetts
145:. Jacobs, Ethan (Feb. 2007)
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220:Vote on Marriage: About Us
32:Massachusetts Constitution
404:Politics of Massachusetts
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131:Conservatism portal
100:Supreme Judicial Court
231:Vote on Marriage: FAQ
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341:October 7,
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136:References
88:Prospects
119:See also
46:Overview
55:Mission
34:to ban
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