Cindy Jordan, chairwoman of No on 107, gets a hug from Roger Funk at Central Bistro as the measure appears to be headed for defeat.

Chris richards / Arizona Daily Star

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Arizona was on the verge of becoming the first state in the nation to defeat a measure that would ban gay marriages.

Opponents were claiming victory early today, but the overnight vote tally made it too close to call.

The measure was being defeated 51-49 percent, with 96 percent of the polls reporting. About 300,000 mail-in votes, however, remain to be counted, election officials said. It was being rejected comfortably in PIma County, one of four counties where voters were defeating Proposition 107.

If the defeat holds up, Arizona will become the first state in the nation to reject a gay-marriage ban. Twenty-seven states have approved such measures, including seven on Tuesday.

"It's significant, it says a lot about this state," said Cindy Jordan, chairwoman of the No on 107 coalition. "I think it's going to turn the tide on these anti-gay, homophobic, bigoted propositions."

Sponsors of the measure hadn't concede defeat yet. With so many ballots left to be counted, it's too close to call, said Cathi Herrod, spokeswoman for Protect Marriage Arizona. But her words reflected doubt.

"It's a token loss, an aberration in what has proved to be tough night for those who hold conservative values," Herrod said.

The Protect Marriage Arizona initiative would amend the state constitution to limit valid marriages to those between a man and woman and prohibit government from recognizing civil unions or domestic partnerships.

Voters listened to their message, said Together Arizona spokeswoman Laura Penny.

"Although it was portrayed as a ban on gay marriage, it's clear people understood that this would affect all unmarried couples," Penny said.