LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Melissa Etheridge plans to marry her longtime partner Tammy Lynn Michaels, according to Extra! The Oscar winning songwriter says the couple will wed before Californian's vote next month on wether to ban same-sex marriages.

"Yes, we have four children and we're trying to find the right time," Etheridge said when asked about marriage in an interview Wednesday.

Etheridge, a long-time gay rights advocate, has two children from a previous relationships. Michaels gave birth to the couple's twins in 2006.

Michaels is an actress who most recently appeared on Showtime's "The L Word."