NH INSIDER

VOTERS WANT RIGHT TO VOTE ON MARRIAGE IN OVERWHELMING NUMBERS

Voters Want Right to Vote of Marriage by Overwhelming Average Margin of 61% - 38%

Manchester, NH - Today, more numbers continue to be reported from towns around the state who took up the question at their town meetings or on the ballot of whether or not their citizens should have the right to vote on the definition of marriage, and the results are clear: New Hampshire votes want the right to vote on the marriage issue.

Behind the numbers

Number of towns that took up the 'marriage' question as presented: 133 (60% of all NH towns).

Number of towns that passed the question: 59.

Number of towns that defeated the question: 33.

Number of towns that tabled the question: 32.

State-wide average of total votes cast: 61.3% - 38.1% in favor of passing the question.

Every SB2 town passed the question by an average of 63% - 37%.

Though 32 towns tabled the question (thereby not considering it), this was not indicative of voter sentiment one way or the other.  A perfect example of this was in Salem where the tabling motion was defeated by just 2 votes, but the question ended up passing by a 64% - 36% margin.

Eight towns are still yet to take up the question.

For full data of the towns that have taken up the question, please visit www.letnhvote.com or click on the link HERE. 

Cornerstone-Action is the legislative advocacy arm of Cornerstone Policy Research.

Cornerstone Policy Research is a non-partisan, non-profit research and education organization dedicated to the preservation of strong families, limited government and free markets.

Says Results Show Legislature is Not Listening to the People

Manchester, NH - Today, the results from the initiative by LetNHVote.com, which sought to allow the towns in NH to each send a resolution to Concord on the marriage issue, are becoming clear and overwhelming: the people want the right to vote on the issue of defining marriage in New Hampshire.  Thus far, preliminary results show that of all the towns that voted on the issue yesterday, all but 5 towns (each with under 100 total votes), passed the resolution.  See HERE for the preliminary results.    

Commenting on the results was Cornerstone-Action's Executive Director, Kevin Smith: 

"The trend is very clear: New Hampshire voters want the opportunity to vote on marriage.  They sent a loud message to the legislature yesterday that they simply are not listening to the people.  Unfortunately, the legislature rather than waiting to see what the will of the people was, decided to vote down a constitutional amendment earlier this session.  But the people will get the last word when they go to the ballot box this November."

A constitution amendment to define marriage, CACR 28, was proposed, debated, and voted on earlier this session.  It was defeated in the House, 201-135. 

Says the People Will Get Their Say at the Ballot Box this November

Concord, NH - Today, the New Hampshire House defeated a constitutional amendment (CACR28) which would have allowed the people of New Hampshire to vote on the issue of gay marriage.  Commenting on the House's vote was Cornerstone-Action Director, Kevin Smith: 

"It's quite clear that this legislature is just completely out of touch with the will of the people, who want the right to have their say on the issue of gay marriage.  The bottom line though is they are going to get their say at the ballot box this November when they get to elect new officials who represent their interests and not those of the radical far-left lobby."

Smith added, "It should also be noted that New Hampshire wouldn't still be having this debate today and probably next year if Governor Lynch had just kept his word and opposed gay marriage like he said he would."

Concord - Today NH's Republican legislators spent hours arguing for two pieces of legislation that wastefully revisit settled law.  CACR 28 amends the New Hampshire constitution to ban marriage equality, while HB 1590 repeals the marriage equality legislation passed last year. 
 
Although Republicans knew in advance of introducing the legislation that the two bills would be defeated by overwhelming margins they chose to squander both time and money on political games. It costs New Hampshire taxpayers thousands of dollars for the introduction of each bill and for each of the meaningless roll call votes.
 
"The Republican legislators are playing political games on the taxpayers' dime," said Derek Richer press secretary for the New Hampshire Democratic Party.  "Forcing Granite Staters to endure painful cuts in essential services while wasting scarce resources on legislation destined to fail is shameful. Wasting legislative time that could be better used to address NH's economy is disgraceful."

Testerman: Marriage is economic and social capital for NH

Friday, February 5, 2010

FRANKLIN, NH — On Monday morning, February 8, 2010 at the Legislative Office Building in Concord, Republican candidate for governor Karen Testerman will stand with supporters of marriage in a joint press conference to kick off National Marriage Week.

Testerman will join a panel of speakers. Elaine Driscoll of Concerned Women for America, along with legislators and pastors in New Hampshire will speak with her on the benefits of marriage in the state.

In a written invitation handed out to legislators this week, Testerman said marriage benefits the economy.

"Marriage provides benefits to the community as both a social and an economic institution, and it is the source of human and social capital for the future of the state...By strengthening the bonds of the natural family we not only reduce the financial impact on the taxpayer, but also provide benefits to the community and businesses..."

Referencing the book, The Case for Marriage, Testerman also noted that poverty and crime share a correlation to divorce and unwed childbearing.

Testerman looks forward to hearing her peers discuss pending pro-marriage legislation in Concord as well as church programs that provide marriage support. She also expects to hear questions and feedback from the audience.

The press conference is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and is open to the public.