Despite their best efforts, Oregon's anti-gay activists did not get enough signatures to block the state's domestic partner laws. Social conservatives launched their effort earlier this year after the legislature voted for the trimmed down nuptial rights.

State election officials say opponents failed to turn in enough signatures to block Oregon's domestic-partnership law for same-sex couples.

State elections officials reported Monday that the effort fell 116 valid signatures short of the 55,179 needed to suspend the law and place it on the November 2008 ballot for a popular vote.

That means that as of Jan. 1, Oregon will join eight other states that have approved spousal rights in some form for same-sex couples: Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maine, California, Washington and Hawaii. Massachusetts is the only state that allows gay couples to marry.

Basic Rights Oregon's executive director John Hummel celebrated the petition's failure, saying, "In refusing to sign these petitions, Oregonians showed that they aren't interested in rolling back our anti-discrimination laws." Hummel may be getting ahead of himself. Another petition's circulating to take down anti-discrimination laws, but insiders also suspect that lacks the signatures.