The Friendship Heights Village Center was one of the busier polling locations in Chevy Chase, MD, on Election Day 2012.

Even at noon, there was a long line of residents waiting to vote at the community center (4433 South Park Ave.)—the line stretched outside the building and nearly to the street corner. Many voters waited over an hour to cast their ballots.

Evangelos Katsaitis, 62, a Greek immigrant and longtime voter, did not support Question 6, which would legalize same-sex marriage, for religious reasons. While he believes that same-sex couples should have some state-supported protections such as civil unions, those protections should have “nothing to do with marriage," he said.

Catherine Orchard, 23, voted in support of Question 6.

“It shouldn’t matter who your partner is,” said Orchard, who believes that the younger generation is more open-minded and would be more likely to support this measure. 

If Questions 6 passes, Maryland would be the first state to uphold same-sex marriage on a referendum. Another first on the ballot: Question 4—also known as the "Dream Act"—which would allow undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition if they meet certain requirements. 

Sharon Green, 63, waited in line for over an hour to cast her vote in support of both Questions 4 and 6. “I think these are American rights that they deserve,” Green said.

She voted against Question 7, which would allow an additional casino to be built in Prince George’s County and which would expand the types of games allowed at existing casinos.

As a teacher, Green was particularly interested in the issue. “I’ve heard and read a lot about money going towards education, but I don’t think it’s going to be a reality,” Green said.

In contrast, David Churchill, 33, supported Question 7 because he noticed the ads against the measure were funded by out-of-state casinos. 

“I don’t think that out-of-state casinos should be writing Maryland policy,” Churchill said.   

Churchill strongly opposed Question 5 on congressional redistricting, and felt that the wording of the question on the ballot—along with a lack of publicity—would result in its passage. 

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