Maine's So Close!

Yes, Maine really is close.

Yes on 1: 48%
No on 1: 46%
Not Sure: 6%

Despite the recent attacks on LGBT Mainers, No on 1 is still within a striking distance of victory. However, it will obviously take a lot of work to overcome this deficit and finish out on top. The Yes on 1 anti-equality campaign is already starting the "scare campaign", and we need to be ready to fight back and win.

This is where Travel for Change steps in.

“Maine is an amazing place and it's beautiful to see Mainers welcoming their fellow American's into their homes,” said Travel for Change director Jay Cash. “It's exciting because people are signing up to go to Maine and others are signing up to sponsor them financially and with airline miles. We used airline miles to pay for more than 300 tickets in the general election and we hope to gather at least 100 for Maine.”

Supporters of Question 1 have out-fund-raised Protect Maine Equality's "No on 1" Campaign by using big donors like Focus on the Family and the National Organization for Marriage. In contrast, Protect Maine Equality is following the lead of the Obama campaign, using the power of small donations and counting on large numbers of volunteers. Partnering with Travel for Change, an organization that supported Obama in the presidential election, Protect Maine Equality is asking supporters across the country to take a "Volunteer Vacation" to Maine and help get out the vote.

"Marriage equality is a national issue,” Cash said. “Just ask our opponents. A California consultant is running their campaign and the star of their first commercial is a Massachusetts lawyer.” [...]

If the Question 1 is turned down it will be the first time in this country that marriage equality has won at the ballot box.

“It's simple this election will either be a huge victory or a huge defeat for equality," said Alisa Whitfield, Managing Director of Travel for Change.

Again, the polls are as tight as can be. The opposition is already throwing everything including the kitchen sink at Maine LGBT families. The campaign is already underway. We need to get fired up and ready to go and defend equality!

Fortunately, Travel for Change is ready for us. Even if you can't afford to come to Maine, they will help with airfare and connect you to low and no-cost volunteer housing. Even if you can't come but can afford to help, you can donate your frequent flyer miles and/or money to Travel for Change to help pay for needy volunteers to go to Maine.

We really don't have time to waste. Our moment is now. Will we stand up for our LGBT brothers and sisters in Maine? Will we make sure they won't suffer the same fate of California and Prop H8?