New York lawmakers to vote on gay marriage within hours

A protester is seen behind a rainbow flag at a demonstration supporting same-sex marriages outside Sheraton Hotel where U.S. President Barack Obama was attending a function in New York June 23, 2011.

ALBANY, New York (Reuters) - New York state senators will vote on whether to become the sixth U.S. state to allow gay marriage later on Friday or in the early hours of Saturday, Republican senators said.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Republican Senator George Maziarz both said a marriage equality bill would be voted on by the Senate.

New York could become the sixth and most populous state to allow gay marriage if bill introduced by Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo is approved by the Senate. Only one more Republican senator needs to support the bill for it to pass.

Passage would be a key gay rights victory and boost the national profile of the cause ahead of 2012 presidential and congressional elections.

The fate of the proposal hinges on three undecided Republican senators who have voiced concerns over what they say are weak legal protections for religious groups and individuals who oppose gay marriage.

While only one Senate Republican vote is needed, most observers say at least two or three additional votes are necessary to provide political cover, as same-sex marriage is a sensitive issue for conservative politicians.

On Thursday Sen. Greg Ball, a Hudson Valley Republican, announced that he would vote against the marriage bill after weeks of being considered a key swing vote. He said the bill did not provide sufficient religious protections.

Ball's announcement left only three undecided senators.

"We still very much feel the momentum," said Ross Levi, head of gay-rights group Empire State Pride Agenda, citing recent polls that showed public support for gay marriage in New York as high as 58 percent.

In his most recent public comments, Cuomo on Wednesday night told reporters he remained "cautiously optimistic" the bill would pass.

(Editing by Michelle Nichols, Ellen Wulfhorst and Greg McCune)