It's 10:10 p.m. EST in Maine.
Face it.
Question 1 is going to pass.
Current numbers: FINAL UPDATE - 11:57 - 71% reporting
Yes 216231 51.83%
No 200961 48.17%
Final result likely to be 52% to 48%.
http://www.bangordailynews.com/...
(Slooow! Their bandwidth is limited, I suspect.)
More importantly, Question 1 is passing in almost every county except Cumberland County - i.e. Portland. But Cumberland County isn't even 25% of Maine's population.
Here are some examples:
Androscoggin - Auburn/Lewiston - Yes 64%
Kenebec - Augusta - Yes 67%
Penobscot - Bangor/U.Maine - Yes 62%
And these don't include the really rural counties.
Human rights by ballot box - I think not.
No, Mr. Obama - - it is not a state issue.
It is a national issue.
It is an issue about equality and human rights.
It goes to the heart of the meaning of the U.S. Constitution.
No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
It shouldn't be that hard to understand.
UPDATE -
I want to apologize.
I want to apologize to all the people who have been calling me a Chicken Little and a loser and a pisser and moaner. I want to apologize for noticing that not a single county outside of Cumberland County (Portland) was voting 'No' and that Cumberland County was less then 25% of Maine's population. I want to apologize for knowing that rural precincts usually report more slowly than urban precincts. I want to apologize for saying things that some do not care to hear.
UPDATE #6 - 11:30
It is almost certain that Question 1 will pass.
With 60% of the vote counted 'Yes' has a three-point lead and 'Yes' leads in every county outside of Portland. Even Kennebec (Augusta) and Penobscot (Bangor) Counties are voting 'Yes'.