FORT LEE, N.J. (WPIX)—
Seven states and Washington, D.C. now allow same-sex marriage and New Jersey could become the eighth state, according to gay rights advocates. They are encouraged by Monday's vote in the New Jersey State Senate, which approved legalizing same sex marriage by a vote of 24 to 16.That's 10 more votes than advocates won two years ago. The issue now heads to a vote in the assembly Thursday, where it is expected to pass.
Opponents say the vote is meaningless, because New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has promised a veto. Gov. Christie wants to put the issue of same sex marriage to the voters in November in the form of a referendum.
Just over half -- 54-percent -- of the voters questioned in a recent poll say they support gay marriage. But gay rights advocates are worried about what's already happened across the country. Voters have rejected same-sex marriage in each of the 31 states where it's come up for referendum.
Advocates say same sex marriage is a civil rights issue. They argue that, just as the American people likely would not have voted to grant African-Americans their civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s. The public today should not be trusted with the responsibility of legalizing same sex marriage.
So, advocates are looking at two options to secure the right to same-sex marriage in New Jersey. They intend to continue working over the next two years to override Gov. Christie's expected veto. That would require the approval of two thirds of both houses, which democrats currently control.
In the Senate, that means 27 votes, or three additional votes that advocates would have to work to secure during the current legislative term, which ends in January 2014.
Advocates are also pushing for the courts, which paved the way for the legislature to approve civil unions in New Jersey in 2006, to now fully support same-sex marriage.
