CARNAL NATION

Opponents of the recently passed law legalizing same-sex marriage in Maine applied for a "people's veto" last week. In response, Maine officials have drafted the question that will appear on the state referendum ballot if gay-marriage opponents can get enough signatures on a pettition by the deadline. If the gay-marriage question appears on the ballot, voters will have to answer the following question:

"Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?"

Opponents have 90 days after the state legislature adjourns to collect 55,087 signatures in order for the ballot measure to be given to the people of Maine for a vote. If the requisite number of signatures is received, the Secretary of State will then have 30 days to certify the signatures. The current legislative session is scheduled to end on June 17. There is a slim chance that the intiative could be on the ballot by November; otherwise, the referendum would have to wait until June 2010.