New York Governor Cuomo’s secretary Steve Cohen announced today that the long-debated measure to legalize same-sex marriage statewide should come to a vote this week.
The New York Daily News reports that Cohen is optimistic about the impending vote, and has said that the “votes are there” for the measure to pass.
“…If people are allowed to vote their conscience…it will go forward and it will pass,” Cohen said. However, he noted that political agendas still could get it the way of personal beliefs among legislators.
Some have speculated that a vote in favor of same-sex marriage could cost Republican legislators their seats; but Cohen has dismissed this issue, citing district-to-district polls and maintaining that marriage equality is not a “make or break issue” for New York’s GOP senators.
Furthermore, Cohen added that only three or four Republican votes – a mere 10% of the Republican representation within the state legislature — are required to clinch the gay marriage vote.
“This is an important piece of our agenda,” Cohen concluded. “This is something that should be taken up.”
