ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Gay couples began applying for marriage licenses in Alaska on Monday, 15 years after the state helped touch off a national debate with a ban on same-sex unions.
Ann Marie Garber and her partner, Koy Field, were among the first gay couples seeking a license to wed in Alaska. “I had no idea this would happen in my lifetime,” she said.
They decided to apply immediately after the ban was overturned by a federal judge Sunday.
U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Burgess ruled that the gay marriage ban violated the due process and equal protection guarantees of the U.S. Constitution. His ruling came over the objection of gay marriage opponents who say states should decide the issue, not courts.
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The ruling in favor of five couples who sued the state in May overturns a constitutional amendment approved by Alaska voters in 1998, defining marriage in the state as between one man and one woman.
It bars enforcement of any state law that keeps gay couples from marrying or refuses to recognize same-sex unions performed elsewhere.
Gay couples married outside of Alaska or in ceremonies within the state that didn’t carry legal standing were among those seeking licenses. There is a three-day waiting period in Alaska, so the first ceremonies couldn’t take place until Thursday.
Christopher Ruff and Peter VanDyne plan to renew their vows as soon as they are allowed to do so Thursday.
“We want to make sure we get in the window in case they close the window and say you can’t get married anymore,” VanDyne said.
The Alaska attorney general’s office planned to take its case to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals within the coming weeks and filed notice Monday.
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The lead plaintiff in the Alaska lawsuit was Matthew Hamby, who helped other couples through the application process Monday before completing his own.
He and his husband, Christopher Shelden, plan to renew vows they made in their 2008 marriage in Banff, Alberta, Canada. They haven’t set a date yet, but the $60 licenses are good for three months.
“We’ll take our time,” Hamby said.
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