Antigay activists confident of place on Oregon ballot

Sponsors of an initiative that would ban same-sex marriage in Oregon are optimistic about their chances of getting the proposed constitutional amendment on Oregon's fall ballot. The backers said Thursday that they may submit as many as 130,000 valid signatures to the state elections division; only 100,840 signatures are required. The extra signatures would provide a cushion against duplicate names and signatures from unregistered voters. The signatures are due July 2. "Signatures are pouring in every day," said Tim Nashif, political director of the Defense of Marriage Coalition. Nashif, however, wouldn't guarantee that his group would gain a spot on the ballot. The state has been scrutinizing each petition sheet for signing and dating errors. Recent enforcement of signing and dating requirements has cost sponsors of other initiatives perhaps thousands of signatures. "We have a team checking for what we know are the secretary of state's rules, " Nashif said. The marriage coalition is using hundreds of volunteers to collect signatures at churches, in neighborhoods, and among family and friends. Basic Rights Oregon, a gay rights organization that opposes the proposed amendment, is monitoring signature gathering, in part by sending volunteers to churches to observe petition practices, said Rebekah Kassell, the group's communications director.