One bigot in New Jersey shouldn't have the power to...

[MarkCharles]

force a state-wide referendum on gay marriage.

My opinion only, but can someone in New Jersey tell me how Christie can force a referendum on same sex marriage.

Also, I think it might pass, if it happens. Lots of people NJ are pretty rational people, people of high incomes, suburbanites of NYC, and Philly. NJ is not exactly North Dakota or Nebraska, even though all of those states' names start with the letter "n".

Any NJ people here?
IF Christie vetoes the gay marriage bill, what happens? Does it go back for an over-ride vote in the House and Senate, or in the Senate alone? Does a referendum happen or must a petition for referendum be circulated, and for how long? When would such a referendum get enough signatures to appear on which year's ballot?

I think Governor Christie is a big fat bigot. He should have no say in this.

[racaulk]

1. Christie cannot unilaterally force a referendum to appear on the ballot in November.

As far as I know, no Governor has the power to do that. All Christie can do as Governor is sign the bill, veto it, or let it become law without his signature. That's his only official role in the process.

Also, IIRC, a supermajority vote of both houses is required to successfully override Christie's veto. This step is optional and the legislature may or may not hold the vote, depending on if they believe the votes will be there to successfully override. This is why the state legislature of Hawaii chose not to vote to attempt to override Governor Lingle's veto of their civil unions bill in 2010 -- they knew they didn't have the votes to do so. Coincidentally, that Governor also though the issue should be decided by public referendum.

[MarkCharles]

2. Thanks, are you in NJ? Each state has...

different rules about over-rides of vetoes.

Some do it with 2/3 majority in both houses, some do it with 4/5ths some actually only have one house of a legislature for an over-ride.

And each state has different rules for petitions for all referenda (plural of referendum). Some allow state legislatures to put an issue on the ballot. Some only allow issues if over 2- 5% of registered voters petition for it.

What is the course of this in New Jersey when a bigot Governor vetoes. If a former, (now out) gay governor were in office and signed this, it would be OVER!!!


Therefore, ONE person, ONE SINGLE BIGOT is stopping this from becoming law.

[racaulk]

4. No, I don't live in New Jersey.

But I have been trying to follow the developmens there closely. I'm not sure what the specific override thresholds or procedures for referenda there are.

I'm so happy that the pro-equality activists have been doing their work on the ground to establish a clear pro-equality presence in both chambers of the state legislature, and I have a hard time believing that the bigots will again be a majority there. All that is needed now is to get a pro-equality Governor in office, and marriage equality looks like it will be a done deal in New Jersey.

It's just a matter of time.

[MarkCharles]

5. Well, over a half a million NYC or NY state workers...

live in NJ.

Most of them don't have a problem with gay people marrying, and they vote in NJ.

Some more 200,000 or so live in NJ and work in Philly or other cities out of the NJ state.

Not many people in NJ worry about gays marrying. They worry about NJ unemployed, about fixing the roads, about their personal economy.


Raise the rates for non-NJ residents on the turnpikes and the bridges by $.50 problem solved.

No taxes or fees increased for NJ residents, taxes and fees for out-of-state travelers through NJ, many a day from NY to PA or MD or further south do DC or FL............NJ should just tax people reasonably.

Then, let's get back to the issue, Chis Christie one person, let's make sure his career ends now.

[TriMera]

3. That sucks. It takes 241,000 bigots here (WA). n/t