Tide is turning in Ohio on marriage equality, proponents say

YOUNGSTOWN

Advocates for overturning Ohio’s ban on same-sex marriage believe their cause “is reaching critical mass” with the number of states permitting gay marriage now having grown to 19, plus the District of Columbia.

“We expect that number will increase, so the tide is really turning,” said Michael Premo, campaign manger for the Columbus-based Why Marriage Matters Ohio, which advocates allowing same-sex marriage in Ohio.

“We’ve seen in just the last year there’s been a 5 percent increase in support for marriage equality in Ohio,” bringing the level of support to 50 percent in polls, he added.

Eighty-five elected Ohio officials have gone on record in support of same-sex marriage, he told a Tuesday town hall meeting attended by about 15 people at the Newport public library branch.

“It is denying the dignity of marriage to loving and committed couples, and we believe it’s a violation of the constitution,” Premo said of Ohio’s ban.

The forum here followed this year’s filing by civil-rights lawyers of a lawsuit in federal court in Cincinnati that seeks to overturn Ohio’s ban on same-sex marriage.

However, a spokesman for Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said his office will defend the gay-marriage ban; and a spokesman for Gov. John Kasich said the governor supports the ban.

Read more on the issue in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.