Maine voters repeal law on gay marriage

Maine voters have repealed a state law that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed, dealing the homosexual-rights movement a defeat in New England, the corner of the country most supportive of homosexual marriage.

Gay marriage has now lost in every single state - 31 in all - in which it has been put to a popular vote. Homosexual-rights activists had hoped to buck that trend in Maine and mounted an energetic, well-financed campaign there.

With 99 percent of the precincts reporting, homosexual-marriage foes had 299,483 votes, or 53 percent of the total, while gay-marriage supporters had 267,574 votes, or 47 percent.

“The institution of marriage has been preserved in Maine and across the nation,” said Frank Schubert, chief organizer ...