On May 5, 2009, the Maine House of Representatives passed a bill that legalized same-sex marriage in the state, following its earlier approval in the state senate. The bill was subsequently signed into law by Governor John Baldacci. The adoption of the law was part of concerted push towards same-sex marriage in several US states that included Maryland, Washington, and New Jersey. However, Maine voters repealed their state's measure by referendum vote in November 2009. In response to the legislation's repeal, the marriage equality group EqualityMaine has gathered enough signatures as of February 2012 to place a permissive same-sex marriage referendum on the ballot.

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