Friends, 

This week's update is short and sweet as I need to prepare for our Party for Equality next Saturday. We might actually have a US Congressman stop by!..  Now that we have nice weather, I need to rush our spring cleaning.  If you have not replied to our invitation, please consider coming... or, send an email to me asking what you might be able to do to help out.   

I DO HAVE A QUICK REQUEST FOR YOU: 
Please share your marriage-related photos with me, so that I can make a private slideshow to have running at our Equality Party.   If you have any photos of State House functions, marriage ceremonies even vacation pictures of couples together, I'd greatly appreciate your sharing them with me before the party next week.  I'd like to try to make the DVD slideshow on Thursday.

The big news this week is that the special elections races in MA are now becoming more clear....  WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP OR LOSE A VOTE against the amendment through these elections.  The two elections we are watching are to replace Pro-Equality Representative Rep Robert K. Coughlin, (Dedham, Westwood & Walpole) and Anti-Equality Senate President, Travaglini in the East Boston Area. 

The even BIGGER news this week appears to be happening outside the borders of MA.  A special Conn. Judiciary Committee passed marriage equality bill, that if approved by the legislature AND the Republican Governor, would replace their current civil unions with Full civil Marriage.  In NH, the Legislature has approved a bill to grant civil union protections, which the Governor has vowed to sign into law.  (its not marriage, but a step in the right direction) 

If you have comments/feedback or info that I should include next week, please feel free to use the feedback link to the left. 
   

ON 5/11, WE COULD LOSE AN EXISTING VOTE FOR EQUALITY The 11th Norfolk District (Dedham, Westwood & Walpole) is holding a special election to fill vacancy of  Pro-Equality Rep Robert K. Coughlin. Candidates:         D- Stephen Bilafer         R- Doug Obey         I- Paul McMurtry

Bilafer and Obey win legislative primary. 
In a special primary yesterday in the 11th Norfolk district, Stephen M. Bilafer of Dedham topped a field of four Democrats, while Douglas E. Obey of Westwood won the two-way Republican race. The candidates will compete with independent Paul McMurtry of Dedham in the May 15 election to fill the seat of Democrat Robert K. Coughlin, who resigned to take a job in Governor Deval Patrick's administration. Turnout was light across the district, which consists of Dedham, Westwood, and part of Walpole. Bilafer outpolled his closest opponent, Dedham School Committee member Joanne Flatley, by 153 votes or 5 percentage points, while Obey defeated GOP State Committeeman William D. McKinney of Dedham by a 2-to-1 margin.
  

Petruccelli gets MassEquality endorsement for Travaglini's Senate Seat. 
MassEquality didn’t have to look too far for a candidate to back in the special election to succeed former Senate President Robert Travaglini in the 1st Middlesex and Suffolk District. The organization has endorsed state Rep. Anthony Petruccelli of East Boston, who is vying in a May 29 Democratic primary against Dan Rizzo, a four-term Revere city councilor. (Read More)

Petruccelli nabs equality PAC endorsement for Senate pres. spot 
EAST BOSTON DEM SUPPORTS MARRIAGE EQUALITY, THINKS PENDING GAY MARRIAGE BAN WILL BE KILLED .
The political action committee (PAC) of MassEquality, the statewide organization dedicated to protect same-sex marriage, has officially endorsed Rep. Anthony Petruccelli (D-East Boston) to succeed the former Senate president Robert Travaglini who left office recently to start his own lobbying firm. This is a special election, the primary for the race in First Suffolk and Middlesex Senate district, which is scheduled for May 29, with a general election to follow on June 26. (Read More).