Gay rights supporters in Oregon have begun the early work to put same-sex marriage on the 2014 ballot. Their petition was filed with the Secretary of State on Monday.
Now, 1,000 signatures are needed to initiate the ballot title process. Among the first to sign the petition Thursday were Governor John Kitzhaber and former Governor Barbara Roberts.
At an event in Portland, Roberts said she hopes that once the measure reaches the ballot, that it goes beyond being a political decision, “And it becomes an Oregon decision based on respect. Respect for love, for commitment, for fairness, and for families.”
Once the 1,000 sponsorship signatures are validated, the measure’s organizers can begin to collect the more than 100,000 signatures they’ll need to place same-sex marriage on the ballot.