We have just learned that, due to an unprecedented audit ordered by the Florida Division of Elections, approximately 30,000 Florida Marriage Protection Amendment petitions have been thrown out. Although over 611,000 signatures were gathered, the amendment is now short by 22,000 petitions as a result of the audit.

The amendment defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman and would prohibit polygamy, group marriage, and same sex marriages from being recognized in Florida. The fight to bring this amendment to a vote has taken much effort and it is not over yet. In 2006, Mathew Staver successfully defended the amendment language before the Florida Supreme Court against an attack by the ACLU. We believe the ACLU will do whatever it can to stop this petition from getting on the November ballot.

Under a new law, petitions can not be delivered to local county supervisors of elections by individual petition signers. All petitions must be physically mailed or hand delivered to the state headquarters of Florida4Marriage.org, located at 4853 S. Orange Avenue, Orlando FL 32806, before close of business on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 (Presidential Primary Election Day). Florida4Marriage.org is required to turn in the petitions.

The final count must be complete by January 31 and the Division of Elections will certify the final number on February 1. It is imperative that we receive the required number of signatures in order to be placed on the ballot in November 2008. If we fall short, we have to start all over again. We are not alarmists, but Liberty Counsel is sounding the alarm on this matter. Time is off the essence.

Any registered Florida voter can sign a petition.

Take Action Today!

• Forward this email to anyone you know that lives in Florida or has Florida connections. Ask other national organizations to send an announcement to their contacts in Florida. We must all work together in this final signature push!

• Contact your Florida friends, neighbors and family who have not signed the petition. Petitions can be downloaded in PDF format HERE.  You can also click the Florida Marriage Petition link at www.LC.org.

• Florida residents should appeal to your pastor to do a petition collection during the next two Sundays. Ask that the church distribute one copy to each person attending and collect the signed petitions immediately for return to the Florida4Marriage.org office. Bulletin insert petitions are also available online. We have also prepared a memo showing that churches can legally promote the marriage amendment. 

• Volunteer to collect petitions outside of early voting sites in Florida which opened this week. Look up your county Supervisor Elections office to find early voting sites in your county. Make sure you stand 100 feet away from the polling place to meet the legal requirement.

• Above all, pray that this final push will bring in enough signatures so that Florida voters will have a choice in November to support marriage.