Illinois marriage petition gets 300,000 signatures

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Protect Marriage Illinois, a pro-family coalition, turned in some 345,000 signatures May 8 supportive of a state constitutional marriage amendment — well over the 283,000 required to place the issue on the ballot. The signatures now must be verified. If successful, the effort would place on the ballot a nonbinding advisory referendum that would ask the state Legislature to pass a marriage amendment. Unlike some other states, Illinois law does not allow a signature drive to place the amendment itself on the ballot. Although the referendum would be nonbinding, it would be significant, with more than 300,000 signatures gathered and — if successful — a majority of Illinois voters agreeing with it. It would be the first advisory referendum to make it on the ballot in 28 years, according to Protect Marriage Illinois.  (TAB)