Gay marriage ban proposal could make November ballot

LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan voters might get to decide gay marriage and gambling expansion issues in the November election, but they won't get to weigh in on ending the state's 158-year-old ban on the death penalty or the future of affirmative action.

The deadline for groups to file ballot initiative petitions with state election officials is Monday. They must have at least 317,757 valid signatures to get on the Nov. 2 ballot.

Opponents of gay marriage hope to file 400,000 petition signatures on Monday. If state election officials approve the petitions, voters will get to decide whether to change the state constitution to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

"You never can be absolutely sure, but it looks good," said Marlene Elwell, director of Citizens for the Protection of Marriage. "I see no reason why we wouldn't make it."