Oregon Public Broadcasting

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Gay marriage isn't the law in Washington yet. But national opponents are already preparing for a repeal campaign. The Washington House Wednesday sent a same-sex marriage measure to the governor for her signature.

Christopher Plante with the National Organization for Marriage is in Washington for the vote. He says a fall referendum campaign will target voters who are not comfortable with gay marriage, but have resigned themselves to it becoming legal.

"Well, they have to understand that this is not live and let live," Plante says. "We need to look forward two, three, four, seven generations to how redefining marriage, how redefining husband and wife, redefining mother and father will impact our society."

Plante predicts supporters of traditional marriage will have no trouble gathering the necessary signatures to put a repeal measure on the November ballot. He expects both sides will spend millions of dollars waging their respective campaigns.

In 2009, Washington voters upheld gay domestic partnerships, but Plante says marriage is different.

On the Web:

Same-sex marriage bill (HB 2516):

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2516

Same-sex marriage laws by state:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_status_in_the_United_States_by_state

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