Maryland and Maine voters made history Tuesday by becoming the first states in the union to approve same-sex marriage by a popular vote.
Maine's legislature had previously approved same-sex marriage, but in 2009 voters blocked gay unions with a ballot initiative largely backed by the Catholic Church.
This time around, gay rights advocates spearheaded their own ballot initiative.
With 49 percent of the precincts reporting, 54 percent of Mainers favored gay marriage, the Portland Press Herald reported just before 2 a.m.
The Baltimore Sun called Maryland's gay rights victory around 12:45 a.m., noting that 32 other states that voted on gay marriage all rejected it.
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