WATCH: Four moments of marriage victory

November 12, 2012

Last Tuesday was an amazing day. For the first time ever, the freedom to marry triumphed at the ballot: Mainers, Marylanders, and Washingtonians will all be able to marry in the coming months, and Minnesotans blocked an anti-gay amendment, representing a huge shift forward for the marriage movement. We had four huge victories - and that means that there were four huge victory celebrations! Here, we've compiled links to the best celebration recaps.

MAINE

"It has been a long time coming," says Mainers United for Marriage campaign manager Matt McTighe, recalling the years-long struggle for the freedom to marry in Maine. Same-sex couples in Maine have had a tumultuous few years: They won marriage in the state legislature in 2009, saw the law overturned by voters just a few months later, and have been working ever since to secure victory in the first proactive marriage campaign in the world.

MARYLAND

Marylanders celebrated across the state on Election Night, too, as they saw voters uphold the freedom to marry by voting FOR Question 6. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley was on hand for a celebration in Baltimore, saying, "Please know that you and your families matter to the people of our state. Whether your parents happen to be gay or straight, Democratic, Republican or independent, your families are equal before the eyes of the law." Watch this video of the celebration, and click here for some more photos!

MINNESOTA

It's not often that you catch the exact moment that someone realizes they've won their year-long campaign on camera, but someone did so in Minnesota, where Richard Carlbom, the campaign manager for Minnesotans United for All Families, reacted with pure glee when he heard that the campaign to vote NO on an anti-gay amendment in the state was successful. Skip to 2:32 for the best part of this wonderful video, and get ready to smile. 

WASHINGTON

It took a few extra hours to count the ballots in Washington, where the election protocol is strictly mail-in only. But the Election Night celebration - which ended with Washington United for Marriage explaining they were "cautiously optimistic" about where the rest of the votes would go - was still a joy to watch. The Seattle Times has compiled this really wonderful photo essay about the big night.