WELLINGTON, New Zealand - New Zealand lawmakers on Wednesday overwhelmingly cast a first vote in favor of a gay marriage bill that was given impetus by President Barack Obama's public support of the issue.

The 80-40 vote was the first of three votes Parliament must hold before the bill can become law, a process that typically takes several months and allows the public to weigh in. Only a simple majority was needed to ensure a second vote, and the margin is a strong indication that the bill will be passed.

Should New Zealand pass the measure into law, it would become the 12th country since 2001 to recognize same-sex marriage. Some states in the U.S. also recognize such marriages, but the federal government does not.

New Zealand already has in place same-sex civil union laws that confer many rights to gay couples, although activists argue those laws don't give them equal social status.

The proposed changes can be directly traced to Obama's declaration in May in support of gay marriage. That prompted center-right Prime Minister John Key to break his long silence on the issue by saying he was "not personally opposed" to the idea. Then lawmaker Louisa Wall put forward a bill.

Majority support proposal: Polls indicate about two-thirds of New Zealanders support gay marriage. It also has the support of most of the country's political leaders.