Havre de Grace City Councilman to Discuss Same-Sex Marriage
Councilman Joe Smith said he wanted to make public his support for Question 6.
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Same-sex marriage may come up at Monday's Havre de Grace City Council meeting, in addition to other questions on this year’s ballot, according to ExploreHarford.com.
Question 6, which centers around same-sex marriage, allows for gay and lesbian couples to obtain civil marriage licenses and protects the rights of religious organizations in choosing what marital ceremonies to recognize.
Councilman Joe Smith, who could be Harford County's only openly gay official, according to ExploreHarford.com, would like "to discuss his support for the measure."
Maryland is one of four states where same-sex marriage is on the ballot this November—Maine, Minnesota and Washington are the others—and in the Free State, supporters of same-sex marriage are leading in the polls, WJZ reported as of Oct. 14.
"Just in Havre de Grace, we know of probably a dozen or more same-sex couples that live here,” Smith said in an interview with ExploreHarford.com, noting that some went out-of-state to marry.
“My partner and I are hoping to celebrate our 25th year together in 2013 by actually getting married in Maryland,” Smith told ExploreHarford.com.
As of Monday afternoon, discussion of Question 6 and other referendum items was not on the City Council agenda for Oct. 15, according to an administrator for the city.
See Related:
- Age, Same-Sex Marriage and Maryland
- Councilman Joe Smith: Being Gay a ‘Non-Issue’
- Meet the Candidate: Joseph Smith
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Jessica
12:04 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
I support Marriage Equality!
Vote FOR Question 6!
Brian Ferri
9:51 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
I plan to vote YES for Question 6. My partner of 21 years and I are one of the couples who went out of state to get married so we can obtain legal benefits here at home. We wish we could have given Havre de Grace the associated business and costs related to getting married. Maryland does in fact already recognize out-of-state gay marriage, so, the passage of Question 6 really means keeping the business and money here at home, investing in our community, and stopping the outsourcing. So, for anyone who plans to vote NO please consider the economic impact on their vote, and on their community. Stop outsourcing gay marriage – keep the money here at home.
Tom Barnes
7:54 am on Monday, November 5, 2012
Economy aside (which is indeed important), for those that plan to vote NO? Do not be shocked or pretend to be sad when a gay teen commits suicide. There is a comparison here. Voting NO is the same as telling them they do not matter, that things do NOT get better. Don't use your vote to "bully" - it is no different then the bully at school picking on the gay kid and telling him or her they are worthless and useless. And honestly? It makes you no better then that bully.