Republic Of Ireland Goes To Polls In Historic Vote On Same-Sex Marriage

Irish voters today, Friday, May 22, went to the polls in an attempt to change the country's constitution to allow same-sex marriage. It's a landmark referendum that, if passed, would make Ireland the first country in the world to adopt same-sex marriage through a popular vote. Ireland's voters will be asked to approve this statement:

"Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex."  

The change to the constitution will give gay and lesbian couples the right to civil marriage, but not to be wed in a church. As in many other countries around the world, the issue is a polarizing one. And the referendum will be a test of whether in Ireland, a majority Catholic nation, more liberal thinking wins out over conservative, traditional leanings.

Opinion polls in the run-up to the vote suggest the "yes" vote is on track to come out on top, but that the gap is narrowing.

A CNN team at a polling station south of central Dublin saw a steady stream of voters heading to the ballot box.

One, 46-year-old Tim Mudie, from Dublin, said, "I voted yes. It's outrageous that my gay and lesbian friends are not able to do what they want to do."

Another, Mary Harrington, said she would vote yes because everyone should have the same rights -- adding that she was optimistic that if turnout is high, the referendum will pass. "A right is a right. It's 'yes' all the way. We shouldn't even be voting on this issue," she said.

Not everyone feels the same way, however. And it's clear the run-up to the referendum has been bruising for some. Joanna Jordan, of Dublin, opposes the constitutional change. "I'm voting no because as far as I'm concerned, marriage has always been between a man and a woman since the beginning of time and there's no reason to change it. Marriage is basically to set the scene for children to come into the world in the best possible way."

Daithi Galvin, 40 years old and a self-described devout atheist, told CNN he would be voting yes "because Ireland deserves to be an equal community" in which "everyone, whether you be young or old, or black or white, or rich or poor, man or woman, has the right to be happy."

"There are people out there who will feel that they can't publicly say no, but that's the idea of democracy, that democracy should allow people to say yes or no because that's their opinion," he said.

Culled from: CNN.com