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April 05, 2007

Alaska vote on same-sex partner benefits has both sides claiming victory

Alaska vote on same-sex partner benefits has both sides claiming victory

In a vote that did not produce a clear winning side, both parties were claiming victory in an Alaska referendum that asked voters to decide if state lawmakers should go forward with a constitutional amendment that would take away benefits from the same-sex partners of public employees. With 92% of precincts reporting by Wednesday morning, unofficial results from the state’s Division of Elections showed that 55% of voters are in favor of stripping gay partners of their benefits while 45% are against it, with those in favor ahead by 8,300 votes, the Associated Press reports.

"'Get us a constitutional amendment that we can consider," said Republican representative John Coghill, who initiated the vote, in regard to the message that was sent. "So I am going to use that as forcefully as I can in the legislature to encourage people to at least get people a chance to vote on [the measure]."

But an opponent of the measure said the result was decidedly unimpressive. Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Hollis French, an Anchorage Democrat, said he does not expect the election to change that.

"It's hardly an overwhelming result," said French. "The state has now wasted a million dollars on a poll that isn't going to change anybody's mind in Juneau."  Juneau is the state capital.

The vote has no binding authority, the AP reports. (The Advocate)

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