Romney presses for marriage vote

Gov. Mitt Romney asked the state’s highest court to order a proposed anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment onto the state’s 2008 ballot if the Legislature fails to vote on it.

The Republican governor, a strong opponent of gay marriage and a possible presidential contender, filed the request with the Supreme Judicial Court in Boston after lawmakers put off acting on the question until January. The high court ruled 4-3 in 2003 that the state could no longer deny marriage licenses to gay couples.

Romney said the state Constitution required legislators to vote on whether the measure should go on the ballot. If they don’t vote when they return Jan. 2, the last day of the legislative session, Romney said the court could order the secretary of state to put it on the ballot.