Tagged: same-sex marriage

SALEM, Ore. – Oregon voters could decide next year whether to legally recognize same-sex marriages. Supporters of gay marriage submitted an initiative Monday aimed at putting such a question on the Oregon ballot in November of 2014.

Nine states including Washington issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. But Oregon can't, since voters defined marriage as between one man and one woman nearly a decade ago. It would take a statewide vote to reverse that. So the gay rights group Basic Rights Oregon filed an initiative to overturn that Constitutional ban.

Sunday was the first day marriage certificates were signed in Washington state since the passing of the same-sex marriage law. One Spokane couple said “I Do” to each other for the second time.

 Supporters of same-sex marriage in the Northwest are at once celebrating and downplaying the latest news from the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court announced Friday that it would review a ban on same-sex marriage in California, as well as a federal law that prohibits gays and lesbians from receiving federal spousal benefits.

 On the first day of legal same-sex marriage in Washington, the scene was quiet at the Benton County Annex in Kennewick in southeast Washington. Workers sat at the ready to hand out marriage licenses, but only a few people showed up. But one couple that did got their paperwork after 26 years together.