澳大利亚选民开始收到同性婚姻的民调选票

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。