New Ad: Whatever Gay Activists Are For, You Should Be Against

Support by Equality Maine for Question 1 -- a ballot initiative that protects same-day voter registration -- has opponents raising suspicions about what a gay rights group might hope to achieve.

If Equality Maine is for a ballot measure, then you should be against it -- so goes the argument in a newspaper ad placed just days before voters head to the polls. A series of weekly community newspapers ran the ad, which was purchased by a committee opposed to the ballot measure, according to the state Ethics Commission. Talking Points Memoposted this transcript of the strange argument laid out by the advertisement:

"FACT! IN THE 2010 ELECTIONS, EQUALITY MAINE (ADVOCACY GROUP FOR GAY/LESBIAN MARRIAGE) DONATED $141,000 FOR THE ELECTION OF DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES TO THE MAINE LEGISLATURE.

"FACT! IN THIS ELECTION EQUALITY MAINE HAS DONATED $5000 AND RECEIVED OVER $46,000 TO COLLECT SIGNATURES IN SUPPORT OF REFERENDUM QUESTION #1.

"WHY... IS THIS SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP SO INTERESTED IN REPEALING MAINE ELECTION LAWS?"

The answer to that question isn't included in the ad. Voters are left to wonder what conspiracy might be at play.

Equality Maine has campaigned in favor of Question 1 on the principle that it ensures participation in the election process. Republicans in Maine had rolled back the long-standing law, but the referendum is attempting a "people's veto" of their decision.

Betsy Smith, executive director for EqualityMaine, told The Advocate that the ads are "shameful" and part of an effort "to confuse voters."

"They accuse us of wanting to 'repeal Maine's election laws' when it's the Republicans who repealed Maine's election laws the day they voted to eliminate same-day voter registration during the legislative session," Smith said.

Smith said EqualityMaine supports Question 1 "because we believe that in a democracy people should be encouraged to vote and that barriers should not be created to prevent or suppress voting." Smith notes that "same-day voter registration has worked well in Maine for nearly 40 years -- why would we want to create barriers that will result in fewer voters voting?"