Washington voters approve same-sex marriage, CNN projects By Ashley Fantz, CNN November 9, 2012 -- Updated 1811 GMT (0211 HKT) 1,269,917 residents voted for same-sex marriage; 1,146,439 voted against 75% of precincts were reporting results Friday Washington joins Maine and Maryland in approving couples' right to wed (CNN) -- Washington is joining two other states that have passed ballot measures making same-sex marriage legal, CNN is projecting. After nearly two days of counting, the voting broke down this way: 1,269,917 residents are in favor of it while 1,146,439 are not. By Friday, 75% of precincts were reporting results. Voters in Maine and Maryland also approved similar measures on Tuesday. Minnesota rejected a ban on same-sex marriage. In Maryland, 51.9% of voters passed same-sex marriage. Voters approve same-sex marriage Maine could begin granting marriage licenses to couples as early as mid-December. A June CNN/ORC poll, for example, reflected such a shift in opinion in the U.S. Maine approves same-sex marriage Election Day brought two additional gains for proponents of same-sex marriage: Wisconsin elected America's first openly lesbian senator, Democrat Tammy Baldwin, and President Obama became the first president to openly support same-sex marriage and get re-elected. While gay rights proponents celebrate this week, many are looking to the U.S. Supreme Court which is set to decide November 20 on whether to weigh several cases including whether the federal government can deny benefits to married same-sex couples.