Tuesday marks the start of a month-long voluntary vote that could eventually legalize same-sex marriage in Australia.
As many as 16 million Australians will receive a mail-in ballot asking them to vote either "yes" or "no" on the issue and mail it back by November. If a majority of ballots are marked "yes," Parliament will follow through with a formal vote in December.
A new opinion survey released Tuesday indicated 70 percent of those questioned said they support same-sex marriage.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who says he will mark "yes" on his ballot, launched the voluntary mail-in vote after lawmakers rejected a plan to hold a compulsory vote known as a plebiscite.
Gay rights advocates unsuccessfully challenged the plan in Australia's High Court, arguing that Turnbull's government does not have the authority to spend $97 million on the mail-in ballot.
Advocates also expressed fears the vote could expose Australia's gay, lesbian and transgender community to harm. They are demanding lawmakers hold a simple up-or-down vote.
澳大利亚星期二开始了为期一个月的自愿投票,最终可能会促成澳大利亚同性婚姻合法化。
多达1600万澳大利亚人将收到邮寄选票,要求他们就同性婚姻合法化问题表明支持还是反对,并在11月底前寄出选票。如果大多数人表示支持的话,澳大利亚议会就要在12月举行正式投票。
星期二公布的一份新民调显示,70%的受访者支持同性婚姻合法化。
澳大利亚总理特恩布尔表示,他将投出支持的一票。此前,澳大利亚议会否决了强制公民投票的计划后,特恩布尔决定进行自愿邮寄投票。
同性恋权益倡导者向澳大利亚最高法院提出,特恩布尔政府无权划拨9700万美元用于邮寄投票,结果被最高法院驳回。
同性恋权益倡导者还担心,投票会给澳大利亚的男女同性恋和跨性别者群体带来伤害。他们要求议员直接记名投票,表示支持还是反对。
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