Voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington state have approved same-sex marriage in local referendums on social issues. It is the first time gay marriage has been backed by popular vote despite 35 such polls elsewhere in the US. Gay marriage is permitted in six states, but those laws were passed by legislators or by courts. In other referendums, voters in Colorado and Washington voted to legalise recreational use of marijuana. In California, an attempt to abolish the death penalty was defeated. Meanwhile, Massachusetts voters struck down a measure that would have legalised physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. Gay m arriage laws The victory of proponents of gay marriage in three states surprised analysts. Maine became the first state to pass a law in favour of the measure by a popular vote. Gay marriage referendums were also held in the states of Maryland and Washington, where opponents of same-sex marriage were seeking to reverse legislation already on the statute books. Those attempts were unsuccessful. Brian Ellner, the head of the pro-gay marriage group, The Four, said: "It's enormous. We have truly made history." "Having the first states approve marriage by a popular vote changes the narrative and sends an important message to the Supreme Court." In a fourth state, Minnesota, the electorate rejected an attempt to define marriage in the state constitution as "between one man and one woman". Colorado and Washington states face a possible clash with the federal authorities over marijuana Marijuana Voters in 38 states have been