Same sex marriage measures approved in three states

Supporters of same sex marriage won electoral victories in three separate states across the country, with a throwback Minnesota ballot initiative codifying matrimony as the sole province of heterosexual couples trailing of 1 am EST.

According to The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, support for Amendment 1 was two percentage points behind opposition, 54 percent to 52, with 67 percent of state precincts reporting. Meanwhile, pro same-sex marriage measures in Maine, Maryland and Washington state all passed, with Maine becoming the first state ever where marriage equality won on a popular vote.

In Maine, Question 1 won approval by a margin of 54 percent to 46 percent with 49 percent of precincts reporting in. Herndon Graddick, president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, said in a statement the vote showed residents the issue was "one of human dignity," instead of one painted across partisan lines.

"The claims made by anti-gay activists that voters would never embrace marriage for gay and lesbian couples could not be further from the truth," Graddick said. "Across lines of politics, race, religion and gender, Mainers today demonstrated that marriage equality is the becoming a real part of American history."

In Maryland, NBC News projected passage of Question 6 by four points, 52 percent to 48 percent, with 93 percent of precincts reporting. If the lead holds, the measure would take effect in January.

In Washington, Referendum 74 passed by the same margin, according to the Associated Press. The law had been signed into effect by Governor Chris Gregoire earlier this year but was not implemented, pending the vote results.

[Image by Olga Besnard via Shutterstock]