Vt. officials ready to vote on overriding expected veto

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — State lawmakers braced Friday for a weekend onslaught of phone calls and e-mails from both sides in the gay-marriage debate, as they prepared for votes on whether to override Gov. Jim Douglas’ promised veto of legislation to allow same-sex couples to wed.

The House gave the measure final approval on a 94-52 roll call vote — a margin just short of the two-thirds of the 150-member body needed to overcome the veto.

The state Senate is expected to concur with the House action Monday. The governor’s office says he will then veto the bill quickly. Both supporters and opponents promised to mount a goal-line stand in advance of override votes that could some as early as Tuesday.

Lawmakers said they were buried in e-mails from around the country.