The announcement that supporters of same-sex marriage have delivered enough signatures to the secretary of Sstate’s office to put the issue on the November ballot was followed by a predictable follow-up story: National groups on both sides of the issue say they will come back to Maine to fight the latest battle in what they see as a national war on our home turf.

It’s easy to understand why. No state has ever legalized same-sex marriage by a popular vote, but it has been made legal by court or legislative action in four New England states, making Maine a logical place to have the first victory at the polls.

In 2009, activists and donors came to Maine to help in the effort, particularly on the anti-marriage equality side, which received most of its funding from the National Organization for Marriage.

That campaign was orchestrated by a California marketing firm, which ran a series of misleading television ads, dominating the debate with the question of whether homosexuality would be taught in schools, something that would be no more or less likely regardless of the referendum’s outcome.

The National Organization for Marriage still has two pending lawsuits in which it is attempting to avoid compliance with Maine campaign finance laws. The group is seeking to protect the identities of a small number of anonymous donors who bankroll its efforts. The organization plans to lead the battle in Maine again this year.

Our message to these outside groups is this: We are not a beachhead.

Maine people are being asked to decide how Maine law should regard families that are headed by same-sex couples. This is a question of civil marriage and civil rights, not a 1.3-million-member focus group assembled to test market material for national talk-radio blabbermouths.

Mainers should resist any attempt by outside groups that try to turn the question into something that it is not, and they should hold both sides accountable for arguments made by their allies from away.

There is enough raw emotion and deeply held belief inherent in this debate without someone fanning the flames.

This is a question for Mainers to decide on their own.