The conservative state of Romania is currently the only EU member that does not allow marriage or civil partnerships for same sex couples. Supporters of a proposal, including the Orthodox Church and all but one parliamentary party, want to further amend the constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman in order to prevent same sex couples from marrying in the future. Human rights groups are advocating for a boycott of the ballot, warning that approval of the proposal could lead to further erosion of minority rights and a shift towards a populist, authoritarian government. A poll released by CURS on Friday estimated a turnout of 34 percent, with 90 percent in favor of the change. The Coalition for the Family collected 3 million signatures in support of the amendment. Last year, the lower house of parliament approved the referendum, followed by the senate in September, which was the final step needed. Some Coalition campaign posters encouraged people to vote "Yes" in order to protect family values and prevent gay couples from adopting children. On the other hand, a different advertisement warned that voting "No" would allow a man to marry a tree. The leader of the ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD), Liviu Dragnea, expressed concerns about the potential consequences of legalizing marriage between a man and an animal, citing examples from other countries. In the days leading up to the vote, the government eased anti-fraud measures, limited options for challenging the result, and removed the cut-off date for campaigning set by the broadcasting regulator. The lack of effective methods to verify fraud in the referendum has created a sense of distrust in the fairness of the process, according to the independent think tank Expert Forum (EFOR). Some opposition politicians and activists believe the ruling party (PSD) is using the vote to distract from its leader's legal issues and conflicts with the European Commission. Former Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos has accused the PSD of trying to create an anti-European sentiment in Romania to support their agenda. The government denies these allegations, while the Orthodox Church believes a "Yes" vote is in line with Christian, democratic, and patriotic values. Romania legalized homosexuality in 2001 after neighboring countries, but discrimination against the LGBT community remains prevalent. Photo titled Romania 1+2 showing Romanian clergymen participating in a rally to support a "Yes" vote on an upcoming referendum in Draganesti, Romania on Oct 4, 2018, to amend the constitution and prevent the future recognition of same-sex marriages. REUTERS.