AUGUSTA – Opponents of the latest gay rights proposal to go before Maine voters vowed Wednesday to enlist an army of 1,000 volunteers to work to defeat the November referendum question.

Standing on the sun-splashed steps of the State House with two dozen sign-holding supporters behind them, leaders of the Christian Coalition of Maine, the Maine Grassroots Coalition and Christian Action League vowed to wage an aggressive battle.

While the differences between the groups and gay activists are well-defined, the two sides agree on one point: The campaign will be fought at the grass-roots level, neighbor talking to neighbor, friend to friend.

Earlier this year, the Legislature voted to send the proposal to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation to voters. Two years earlier, Maine voters repealed a gay-rights law that had been enacted by lawmakers.

In 1995, Maine voters rejected a proposal to prevent municipal and other government bodies in the state from passing laws barring anti-gay discrimination.

Michael Heath of the Christian Action League said the 1998 vote “should have settled the matter.” The action league is the political action committee for the Christian Civic League of Maine.

“Unfortunately, it is back sooner than we thought it would be as a result of a deal between homosexual rights advocates and the Catholic Diocese” of Portland, Heath said, referring to the church’s agreement to support the bill provided certain exceptions and provisions are included.

“The people of Maine have voted on this issue,” said Paul Madore, director of the Maine Grassroots Coalition, who called the latest effort a “backdoor attempt” to legalize same-sex unions. Madore said he would appeal to the church to withdraw its support.

“Those of you who don’t believe this is about same-sex unions have got to be either deaf, dumb or blind,” said Madore, who led a 1991 campaign in Lewiston that defeated a local gay rights ordinance.

David Garrity of the Maine Lesbian-Gay Political Alliance called Madore’s claim “really ridiculous” and “one more example of how they make false claims to the public.”

Garrity noted Maine already has a state law barring same-sex marriages. And while opponents see the proposal as having far-reaching implications, Garrity said it is simple and to the point.

The proposal asks whether homosexuals should be added to a list of groups protected from discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations and credit.

Heath said he believes his side’s chances of winning this fall are worse than they were in 1998, but added he is “committed to running a similar, hard-hitting and effective grass-roots campaign.” His side plans to line up 1,000 volunteers to talk to other voters.

Christian Coalition Executive Director Paul Volle said opponents plan a pair of direct mailings that will reach well over 500,000 Maine homes.

And a coalition banquet in Portland on Sept. 23, which TV evangelist Jerry Falwell is scheduled to address, could help to raise $200,000 to $300,000 to bankroll the campaign, Volle said.

On the opposing side, Garrity said organizers have been busy lining up supporters since the 1998 referendum and local organizations have been formed in every county of the state.

The three anti-referendum groups have identified the gay rights proposal as their No. 1 priority among the string of public questions on a crowded Nov. 7 ballot.

Heath, executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine, said his group is also opposing initiating proposals to allow doctor-assisted suicide and video lottery machines at commercial racetracks.

Volle’s group is opposing the suicide and gambling proposals and a proposal to impose annual limits on how much wood can be cut by landowners who participate in the tree growth tax program.