With
Washington, Maryland & Maine winning their ballot fights
passing gay marriage, Washington will be the first to issue marriage
licenses to couples beginning Thursday Dec 6th. Washington’s final vote
tally shows the largest margin of victory at 7.4%. The final vote shows
R74 winning by 53.7% to 46.3%. County clerks across the state are
expecting hundreds of couples to line up for licenses today as soon as
clerk’s offices open. Two counties King & Thurston, started
issuing licenses at midnight Thursday morning. Washington will be the
first state among the 3 to actually hold gay marriages on Sunday, Dec.
9. The Sunday nuptials follow the state law requiring couples to wait 3
days after receiving their marriage licenses before marrying. The City
of Seattle is opening the Grand Lobby at City Hall for a day wedding
celebrations. Local judges have volunteered to officiate marriages,
artists are working to provide colorful backdrops for ceremonies in the
lobby & volunteer witnesses will be on hand. Florists,
photographers, event planners, caterers & other wedding-related
businesses are looking forward to a big boost in business from the
passage of Referendum 74. A study released earlier this year by UCLA’s
Williams Institute estimates gay marriages will add 57 million dollars to
Washington’s economy in the first year alone. Zach Silk, campaign
manager of Washington United for Marriage, which led the R74 campaign
stated, "This is always what it's been all about -- making peoples'
dreams come true. Thursday is a proud & joyful day for all
Washingtonians. And for those of us from the campaign, we are so very
grateful to the thousands of volunteers & donors who made it
possible for everyone to marry the person they love." Now let’s see if
the US Supreme Court will address marriage equality on Friday so that
federal rights & benefits will be coming our way.
Updates to Come…:)
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