Maine has followed Vermont, and Connecticut, and Massachusetts, and Iowa. Gay and lesbian citizens in Maine are now free to marry. The House of Representaives there voted 89-57 in favor of gay marriage Tuesday, and the Senate followed with a 21-13 vote today. The Governor, John E. Baldacci, signed the bill shortly after the Senate vote. Here’s his statement from the Governor’s web site:

“I have followed closely the debate on this issue. I have listened to both sides, as they have presented their arguments during the public hearing and on the floor of the Maine Senate and the House of Representatives. I have read many of the notes and letters sent to my office, and I have weighed my decision carefully,” Governor Baldacci said. “I did not come to this decision lightly or in haste.”

“I appreciate the tone brought to this debate by both sides of the issue,” Governor Baldacci said. “This is an emotional issue that touches deeply many of our most important ideals and traditions. There are good, earnest and honest people on both sides of the question.”

“In the past, I opposed gay marriage while supporting the idea of civil unions,” Governor Baldacci said. “I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage.”

“Article I in the Maine Constitution states that ‘no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law, nor be denied the equal protection of the laws, nor be denied the enjoyment of that person’s civil rights or be discriminated against.’”

“This new law does not force any religion to recognize a marriage that falls outside of its beliefs. It does not require the church to perform any ceremony with which it disagrees. Instead, it reaffirms the separation of Church and State,” Governor Baldacci said.

“It guarantees that Maine citizens will be treated equally under Maine’s civil marriage laws, and that is the responsibility of government.”

“Even as I sign this important legislation into law, I recognize that this may not be the final word,” Governor Baldacci said. “Just as the Maine Constitution demands that all people are treated equally under the law, it also guarantees that the ultimate political power in the State belongs to the people.”

“While the good and just people of Maine may determine this issue, my responsibility is to uphold the Constitution and do, as best as possible, what is right. I believe that signing this legislation is the right thing to do,” Governor Baldacci said.

This is not a case that can be blamed on the judicial activism the extremists on the right love to blame. These were duly elected representatives of the people who conferred this right to gay and lesbian citizens of the state. All should be congratulated for their sense of justice.

As I’ve said all along in what is fast becoming an exciting time for civil rights, the people are gathering behind gay marriage more and more each day. That’s certainly reflected in the latest CNN poll, where it shows that the younger one is the more likely one is to support gay marriage. There’s neither a plurality nor a majority for gay marriage in the poll, but it’s all about trendlines and demographics, folks, and people 18 to 34 years of age are heavily in favor of gay marriage, with 58% supporting it. The Republicans who hold office there should perhaps be worried, as they carry the burden of “saying no” to anything Obama proposes, and now also saying “no” to this passage of civil rights legislation.

I am pleased. Next stop New Hampshire.