Florida anti-gay marriage petition seems stalled

LAKELAND -- A petition drive that would put before Florida voters a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage has less than one-sixth of the necessary signatures with just three months left before the deadline.

The chairman of the petition drive has expressed confidence that the needed signatures will be obtained in time for the amendment to appear on the November 2006 ballot.

But the effort is facing an additional hurdle -- approval of the amendment's language by the state Supreme Court.

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