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Supporters & Opponents Of Same-Sex Marriage Work To Persuade Voters

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The fate of same-sex marriage in Maryland is now in the hands of the voters. With the countdown to Election Day underway, supporters and opponents are turning up the heat to get out the vote.

Meghan McCorkell has more from both sides of the campaign.

Question Six is one of the hottest topics on the ballot this election season and you can expect a major push from both sides as voters prepare to go to the polls.

Same-sex marriage supporters hit the phones with some high level help--including Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. With just 40 days left, it's the final lap in the race to get people to the polls.

"Calling voters, knocking on doors in the weekends and in the evenings, just trying to get out the word that we want people to vote for Question 6," said Josh Levin, Maryland For Marriage Equality.

The group's latest ad features a Catholic couple who support same-sex marriage.

"I'm going to vote my conscience and vote for Question 6 in November," the ad said.

But Catholic leaders say the new ad is not indicative of the feeling of the majority of the faith.

"I certainly know that there is great strong support for marriage in the Catholic community," said Archbishop William Lori.

Baltimore Archbishop William Lori held a closed event Wednesday night calling together opponents of same-sex marriage.

"We recognize the foundational importance of marriage between a man and a woman for society," said Lori.

But a new poll shows supporters may be gaining ground with 51 percent saying they'll vote for Question 6, 43 percent against it and six percent undecided. Now, neither side is resting.

"You'll see quite a bit of activity in the next couple of weeks," said Lori .

"It's going to be tight on Election Day. We need to raise the money. We need to talk to the voters," said Levin.

It's the final push in a vote that could make history.

If same-sex marriage is passed in the state of Maryland, it would take effect on Jan. 1.

Three other states also have same-sex marriage on the ballot in November--Maine, Minnesota and Washington.

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