Proponents of same-sex marriage who submitted enough signatures earlier this year to put the issue on the ballot suggested the question should be: “Do you favor a law allowing marriage licenses for same-sex couples, and that protects religious freedom by ensuring that no religion or clergy be required to perform such a marriage in violation of their religious beliefs?”

The public has 30 days to comment on the proposed wording. Secretary of State Charlie Summers then has 10 days to craft the final wording of the question.

Proponents were required to gather at least 57,277 valid signatures, or 10 percent of the total number of people who cast ballots for governor in the last gubernatorial election.

Advocates turned in petitions from 453 towns and cities on Jan. 26. Of the 96,137 signatures submitted, 10,921 were determined to be invalid, Summers said in a press release. Petitioners had until Jan. 30 to submit the signatures, according to provisions of the Maine Constitution. The secretary of state’s office had 30 days from Jan. 26 to validate the signatures and certify the petitions.

In New England, same-sex marriage is allowed in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont, and civil unions for same-sex couples are allowed in Rhode Island. Other states that permit same-sex marriage are New York, Washington and Iowa, along with Washington, D.C. The Maryland legislature voted earlier this year to allow same-sex marriage.

In February, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a bill to allow same-sex marriage in that state.

In the states where same-sex marriage is allowed, the laws all came through either court orders or legislative votes, not through a statewide popular vote.

A constitutional ban on gay marriage passed in North Carolina on May 8. Voters in Minnesota will consider a constitutional ban in that state on Nov. 6.