HRC Blog

Post submitted by Bella Week, HRC NJUM Regional Field Director

Support for marriage is strong across the Garden State; we can feel and see the ground swell of support from the communities we are engaging.  My team has been actively organizing up and down the Jersey Shore, from Asbury Park to Cape May. We are doing everything we can to work with as many New Jerseyeans as possible. As a campaign, we are working to spread the word and help people voice their strong support for an override Governor Christie’s marriage veto.

Last month’s special primary election is a great example of just one method we use to engage residents. On that day, I was part of a team of six organizers that from 7 a.m. until the polls closed at 8 p.m., organized around various polling locations in the region. We talked to hundreds of voters outside their polling locations about the importance of marriage, and got them to take action by calling and writing their legislators.

I was so impressed and touched at how passionate the folks I met were, and what tremendous willingness and urgency they showed in doing whatever was needed to ensure marriage for same-sex couples is brought to New Jersey before the years’ end. Almost everyone who walked out of that polling place stopped to talk to us, and stood in the wind and rain to make calls right then and there to their elected officials to urge them to vote to support the freedom to marry.

We have a lot of work to do and need your help. Please email me at [email protected] with any questions and to learn what you can do to pass marriage in New Jersey this year.