UPDATE: Napa County to Begin Issuing Same-Sex Marriage Licenses July 1

UPDATE: 10 a.m. Saturday, June 29, 2013

By Bay City News Service

Bay Area county clerks' offices scrambled Friday to accommodate same-sex couples seeking marriage licenses after a federal appeals court lifted a stay and allowed the marriages to resume.

San Francisco City Hall was staying open until 8 p.m. for anyone looking to obtain a marriage license, Mayor Ed Lee said.

Kris Perry and Sandra Stier, plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Proposition 8, the state's ban on same-sex marriage, were the first pair to be married following the action by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

State Attorney General Kamala Harris married the couple in a ceremony at City Hall.

Elsewhere in the Bay Area, Alameda County's clerk's office was staying open until 5:30 p.m., an hour later than usual, although no couples had come in as of about 4:30 p.m., said Assistant Clerk-Recorder Matthew Yankee.

Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder Regina Alcomendras said her office closed on schedule at 4:30 p.m. because no couples came in.

"We were trying to watch and see if there were any same-sex couples," Alcomendras said.

She said her office will make up to 27 windows available on Monday to issue wedding licenses.

"We're expecting a very busy day come Monday," she said.

San Mateo County Clerk's Office is staying open until 6 p.m. tonight, but as of 5 p.m. no one had come by for a same-sex marriage license, a clerk employee said.

The office is prepared for a flurry of appointments next week and is bringing in extra staff who are authorized to perform the ceremonies.

In Sonoma County, Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Bill Rousseau said his office is gearing up to "hopefully start" Monday to perform marriages and issues licenses to same-sex couples.

No marriages were occurring today with the office closing at 5 p.m., but Rousseau said there have been "a lot of calls" this afternoon from people making wedding appointments for next week.

Weddings will start on Monday as well in Contra Costa County, which received more than a dozen calls asking when same-sex marriage licenses would be available before the office closed at 4:30 p.m. today, clerk-recorder services manager Frederick Garcia said.

The office in Martinez will be open for weddings at 9 a.m. Monday and takes both appointments and walk-ins, Garcia said.

An outgoing message at the Solano County Assessor-Recorder's office said the offices were already closed as of 4:15 p.m.

UPDATE: 9:45 a.m. Friday, June 28, 2013.

Napa County county will begin issuing same-gender marriage licenses once the terms of the Supreme Court ruling issued Wednesday go into effect, county officials said today.

According to Napa County Clerk John Tuteur, it will be several weeks before California’s 58 county clerks are told by the state that they can resume issuing marriage licenses to same-gender couples.

The U.S. Supreme Court decided this week that a Federal District Court ruling that Prop. 8 was unconstitutional would be allowed to stand.

Tuteur said he and his staff are ready to issue licenses to same-gender couples once the District Court ruling standing takes effect.
More on getting a marriage license in Napa County. 

UPDATE: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday, June 26, 2013.

With a soundtrack of cheers, laughter and music, about 200 members of Napa's LGBTQ community, friends and family walked through downtown tonight, ending with a rally at the Napa County Courthouse.

"Today we celebrate," Ian Stanley, director of Napa's LGBTQ Connection, told the crowd. "Tomorrow, we keep up the fight."

The group, which assembled just after 7 p.m. at the Napa County Historical Society, carried flags, signs and balloons as they walked down First Street to the Napa City Hall, turning left on School Street and then left on Second Street to travel east and wind their way to the Courthouse.

"To me, it's not just about marriage," Stanley said. "To me, it felt like the opposite of all that horribleness five years ago with Prop. 8, -- neighbors with yellow signs -- it was the opposite of that."

One by one -- or sometimes two by two -- people shared their feelings about  today's landmark Supreme Court Decision on the Defense of Marriage Act and Prop. 8.

"To me, it's everything -- everything," one woman said when she took the mic. She looked around at the group, smiled as the hint of tears registered in the corners of her eyes, and stepped down.

Some people wrote their feelings down on wristbands and contributed them to a chain that stretched along the courthouse steps. Others spoke openly of the impact of the ruling on their lives.

"We got engaged today -- because we can," announced China Rose Reid, embracing her partner of two years, A.J. Rodriguez, both of Napa and in their 30s.

"We love each other very much," Rose Reid said. "It's so awesome to find someone you want to spend your whole life with."

Elke Chaudhary-Key of Napa, who married her partner of 15 years, Lisa Key, in 2008 when the window of opportunity briefly opened in California, said today's ruling means their marriage is now legally recognized in important ways under federal law.

The couple have two children, Spencer, 11, and Annika, 5.

"It means a lot to our family, a lot to our community," Chaudhary-Key said.

"We don't have to file separate tax returns," she added. "We get certain benefits -- such as if something happens to one of us, the other can receive Social Security, and hospital visits."

Casey McConnell-Leon of Vallejo said it was "a day full of emotions.

"I was up all night last night," she said. "I just couldn't sleep."


ORIGINAL STORY: 4 p.m. Wednesday June 26, 2013.
Calling it the "Day of Decision," Napa's LGBTQ community will rally tonight to celebrate today's landmark Supreme Court Decision on the Defense of Marriage Act and Prop. 8.

The rally/walk will start at the Napa County Historical Society, 1219 First St., Napa.

"Plan to wear bright colors, bring rainbows, flags, celebratory signs, so we can make a bright splash with our presence!," said organizer Ian Stanley of LGBTQ Connection Napa.

"If you are LGBTQ, friend, family or ally, please join us:," he said.

Stanley said the Historical Society "is graciously allowing us to use their space to gather at 7 p.m.," he said. ""I'll have some supplies to make signs--and to share a thought or two about what this day means to those gathered.

"At 7:30 p.m., we'll leave the Historical Society building and walk a small loop around downtown to the Courthouse where we can share statements about what this day means to us--and what we hope for moving forward," Stanley added.

For more details on tonight's event, click here.

Earlier today, Napa Valley Patch posted some local reaction to the rulings.

For more about the decision, click here.