On the same night that President Barack Obama was reelected for a second term, the state of Maryland made some headway on significant issues within the state. The Maryland ballot contained several big ballot measures that would shape the state fiscally, and affect morale and reputation country-wide.
The first of which was Question 4, better known as the referendum containing the Dream Act which would make undocumented immigrants eligible to pay in-state tuition rates at Maryland public institutions. Late Tuesday night, the poll results for Question 4 were leaning toward passing with 51.5 percent of the votes being in favor of. This morning, the gap had widened with 58.6 percent of the votes in favor of the Dream Act.
Karla Vega, JSA president at the Rockville campus is ecstatic as to how the results went. “We won!” Vega said. “We fought for millions dreams and now they can come true. We can now fly higher than before without the fear of settling for less.”
The votes for Questions 6 and 7, however, were not as decisive. The votes for upholding gay marriage (Question 6) stand at 52 percent in favor of versus 48 percent opposed to. Question 7, the ballot initiative for building a casino in Prince George’s county was passed, but even more narrowly — 51.8 percent of the votes voted in favor of the new casino.
The passing of gay marriage in the state of Maryland is historic. Along with Maine yesterday evening, Maryland is one of the first two states to have same-sex marriage pass by popular vote. Even voters outside of the state of Maryland felt the gravity of the vote. “They legalized same sex marriage in Maryland. Truly beautiful,” said Florida resident Briley Kenney.
The marriage bill takes effect on January 1, 2013.
MARYLAND, FIRST STATE TO LEGALIZE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BY POPULAR VOTE. #wediditfirst
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) November 7, 2012
Maryland wins marriage #Equality! Amazing #progress!!!
— Jesse Tyler Ferguson (@jessetyler) November 7, 2012
Hey Massachusetts, congrats on your pot! Hey Maryland and Maine, congrats on your equal marriage rights!!!
— Caitlin Stevens (@alamocaitlin) November 7, 2012
