Photo by spiggycat

It was expected, and yesterday it started—opponents of same-sex marriage in Maryland have kicked off their petition drive to collect the 55,736 signatures they need to put the issue on the November ballot, writes the Post.

Though same-sex marriage was approved by the Maryland General Assembly and signed by Gov. Martin O’Malley, it remains a divisive issue in the Old Line State. According to the Baltimore Sun, a recent poll put support at 49 percent and opposition at 47 percent, both within the margin of error. (Post polling puts support at 50 percent and opposition at 44 percent.)

To speed the signature-gathering process, the Maryland Marriage Alliance has set up a website that allows residents to get a petition sent to them, which they can then sign and circulate to friends and family. All the signatures have to be gathered by June 30. If the referendum doesn’t happen or ends up being voted down, same-sex marriage will be legal as of January 1, 2013.

If same-sex marriage gets to the ballot, it will join legislation that would allow illegal immigrants who complete high school in Maryland to pay in-state tuition at Maryland universities.