Oregon Launches Marriage Equality Ballot Initiative

Oregon could become the next state to approve marriage equality by popular vote, if a campaign launched this morning by Oregon United for Marriage is successful. The newly formed organization, backed by Basic Rights Oregon, this morning took its first step toward putting marriage equality before Oregon voters, reports Erin Rook at PQ Monthly. The campaign established a petition committee that seeks to gather enough signatures to qualify the "Freedom to Marry and Religious Protection Act" for the Oregon ballot in November 2014. The legislation would dismantle Oregon's constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, approved by voters in 2004, according to PQ Monthly.