Thanks to GetEQUAL for their continued support and sponsorship of this ActOnPrinciples Public Whip Count.
The LGBT community is often told that there is not the support needed to pass, or even introduce, certain pieces of legislation. Rarely are we told who needs to be persuaded to gain the needed support. When we are it is usually within days of the vote. And, because of technological constraints, this information is not up to date.
The Public Whip Count fundamentally changes the way advocacy on legislation works. It empowers the grassroots, and any citizen, to possess the knowledge necessary to organize and pressure our elected officials until enough votes are secured to introduce or pass legislation. It replaces secrecy with transparency and accountability and allows anyone who cares about LGBT equality to become an activist for full legal equality.
The most revolutionary aspect of our Public Whip Count tool is that it shares power with national organizations, the grassroots, elected officials and party leaders and allows real-time updates.
New York Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell (D-Manhattan), the gay brother of TV personality Rosie O’Donnell, introduced a bill this week to legalize same-sex marriage in the state.
O’Donnell’s action appears to have broken ranks with New York’s Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo, who promised to introduce marriage equality legislation but has hesitated in doing so just weeks before the state legislature is scheduled to adjourn for the year.
Cuomo, a strong backer of same-sex marriage, reportedly has persuaded a coalition of LGBT advocacy groups campaigning for a marriage bill to support his plan to hold off on introducing the bill until enough votes could be lined up to pass it in the Republican-controlled state Senate.
“It is with great pride that I am introducing the Marriage Equality Act,” O’Donnell said in a statement. “Since the Assembly last passed the bill in 2009, there has been an overwhelming groundswell of support for marriage equality across our state.”
The Democratic-controlled Assembly has passed a same-sex marriage bill three times since 2007, and this is the fourth time O’Donnell has emerged as the lead sponsor of the bill. But the bill lost in the Senate in 2009 by an eight-vote margin at a time when Democrats controlled the body. It was the first time the Senate had taken a vote on the measure.
Josh Vlasto, a spokesperson for Cuomo, told the New York Times on Tuesday that the governor remains committed to seeing the bill pass before the legislature adjourns at the end of June.
“The question has never been the Assembly,” Vlasto told the Times. “The question has always been whether there are the votes in the Senate, and that remains the question.”
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Per NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/nyregion/2d-gop-senator-backs-gay-marriage-in-new-york.html (Flanagan "still planned to vote no") Voted No in December 2009 per Gay City News Article http://tinyurl.com/3pladfv
Quoted after 2009 vote: " "Personally, I happen to believe that marriage should be defined as between a man and woman… And I know many people who are gay and that is their business and I respect that," http://tinyurl.com/3ebzvy8
Per 6/15 internal NOM email: "Kemp Hannon has assured us that he will vote NO on the bill" Per New York Post 6/13/11 -Among the unexpected potential Senate Republican "yes" votes, insiders say" -http://tinyurl.com/3gt6q86
Per 6/13 New York Times "Three wavering Democratic lawmakers in the State Senate have agreed to support legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in New York" http://tinyurl.com/3e265p7
Called for a vote, opposing Cuomo's delay. http://tinyurl.com/3vhdzt7 Supported Marriage 3 times in House Votes per Gay City News Article http://tinyurl.com/3pladfv
Per 6/13 New York Times "Three wavering Democratic lawmakers in the State Senate have agreed to support legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in New York" http://tinyurl.com/3e265p7
Per NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/nyregion/2d-gop-senator-backs-gay-marriage-in-new-york.html ("At this point, if I would vote now, it's no") Per New York Post 6/13/11 -Among the unexpected potential Senate Republican "yes" votes, insiders say" -http://tinyurl.com/3gt6q86
Per 6/13 New York Times "Three wavering Democratic lawmakers in the State Senate have agreed to support legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in New York" http://tinyurl.com/3e265p7
Quoted "Justice Delayed is Justice denied." http://tinyurl.com/3brzclq Supported Marriage 3 times in House Votes per Gay City News Article http://tinyurl.com/3pladfv
Per NY Daily News: http://personals.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2011/06/gop-state-sen-greg-ball-is-a-no-vote-on-legalizing-same-sex-marriage-unless (As the bill stands, "I clearly must vote no") Per New York Post 6/13/11 -Among the unexpected potential Senate Republican "yes" votes, insiders say" -http://tinyurl.com/3gt6q8
"I think I'm doing the right thing -- and if the public respects that I'm grateful and if they don't then I move on," Per 6/14 BuffaloNews.com article http://tinyurl.com/6d3jqyq
No longer a target? http://tinyurl.com/6jmn8ez Spoke with Gay City News http://tinyurl.com/3r59en5 Voted No in December 2009 per Gay City News Article http://tinyurl.com/3pladfv
"my [no] vote reflects the majority in my district" http://tinyurl.com/6jmn8ez Voted No in December 2009 per Gay City News Article http://tinyurl.com/3pladfv
Has "indicated that they oppose marriage equality and will vote to defeat marriage equality legislation." http://tinyurl.com/3tvmefk
New Senate Member per Gay City News Article http://tinyurl.com/3pladfv
"If I take the Catholic out of me, which is hard to do, then absolutely they should have these rights," Grisanti said this morning in an interview." Per 6/14 BuffaloNews.com article http://tinyurl.com/6d3jqyq
New Senate Member per Gay City News Article http://tinyurl.com/3pladfv
Has "indicated that they oppose marriage equality and will vote to defeat marriage equality legislation." http://tinyurl.com/3tvmefk
Voted No in December 2009 per Gay City News Article http://tinyurl.com/3pladfv
Has "indicated that they oppose marriage equality and will vote to defeat marriage equality legislation." http://tinyurl.com/3tvmefk Voted No in December 2009 per Gay City News Article http://tinyurl.com/3pladfv
Betty Little is a NO vote. According to an article published in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Senator Little is not a believer in the Constitution of the United states or its guarantees of equal protection under the law for all persons. In my opinion, if she cannot uphold her Oath of Office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, she should resign for government. Without delay.
Can’t update the whip count for some reason but Little is a “no”: http://www.nomblog.com/9966/ (”According to Macentee [spokesman for Little], Sen. Little “is a No vote” on the issue”)
Suzi Oppenheimer said definately yes when were visited her after the Marriage Equality Rally.
Thanks Susan! She is marked a yes now!
Definitely NO! I believe in marriage as it was designed in the bible. Man and woman.
Your bible, not mine and not everyone’s. If YOU are against it based on YOUR We don’t use religion to write laws in America, we use justice.
Betty Little is a NO vote. According to an article published in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Senator Little is not a believer in the Constitution of the United states or its guarantees of equal protection under the law for all persons. In my opinion, if she cannot uphold her Oath of Office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, she should resign for government. Without delay.
http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/524583/Sen–Little-still-a–no–vote-on-gay-marriage.html
Thanks @rgivings! Updated the whipcount…. Others can leave comment here , or log on and update the whipcount.
Grisanti is now undecided: http://www.buffalonews.com/city/capital-connection/albany/article454429.ece
LaValle is a definite “no” (http://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2011/06/16783/spokesman-lavalle-will-not-support-gay-marriage-bill/) and McDonald is a “yes” (http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/70687/roy-mcdonald-is-31st-vote-for-same-sex-marriage/).
Thanks @Matt – Moved Grisanti to UNDECIDED and McDonald to YES.
and moved LaValle to NO.
Flanagan is a “no” and Lanza is a “lean no”: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/nyregion/2d-gop-senator-backs-gay-marriage-in-new-york.html
Little is a no: http://pressrepublican.com/0100_news/x9783390/North-Country-lawmakers-split-on-gay-marriage-issue
Lanza is undecided: http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/06/state_senate_stalls_new_yorks.html
Can’t update the whip count for some reason but Little is a “no”: http://www.nomblog.com/9966/ (”According to Macentee [spokesman for Little], Sen. Little “is a No vote” on the issue”)