AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) – Same-sex marriage opponents hoping to derail Maine’s new law before it can take effect submitted petitions Friday that they said contain more than enough signatures to force a people’s veto referendum.

Leaders of the Stand for Marriage campaign delivered a stack of cartons holding petitions with more than 100,000 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office, which has until Sept. 4 to certify at least 55,087 of them. If it does so, voters will be asked on Nov. 3 whether to repeal the law.

Maine became poised to recognize same-sex marriages in May, when lawmakers set aside a state law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The other New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont recognize same-sex marriages, as does Iowa.

Stand for Marriage campaign leaders said at a news conference Friday that the Maine Legislature’s action needs to be reversed because traditional marriage between one man and one woman is a basic building block of society that must be protected.

“I am greatly concerned about the Legislature’s redefining what has been the very foundation of our civil society,” said Brian Souchet of Brunswick, standing next to his wife and children.

Campaign leader Rep. Bob Emrich, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Plymouth, also criticized lawmakers for “mocking and disparaging the deeply held faith of Maine people” before they voted to recognize same sex marriages this spring.

Same-sex marriage supporters said they weren’t surprised by Friday’s filing and stressed their own efforts to marshal support for their cause.

Jesse Connolly, who represents a group that supports the law, said: “I think our advocates knew when they went into this ... that they’d have to win both in the Legislature and also at the ballot box.”

Maine has a domestic partnership registry, but same-sex marriage advocates say it doesn’t go far enough to ensure marriage equality.