Half Moon Bay Review

November 5, 2008

By Clay Lambert

County no longer issues same-sex marriage licenses

San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder Warren Slocum said Wednesday that his office will no longer issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in light of the passage of Proposition 8 a day earlier.

The measure called for an amendment to California’s constitution banning same-sex marriage and was crafted after the state’s Supreme Court expressly allowed the practice in a ruling earlier this year. By state law, a passed constitutional amendment takes effect the day after the election. Proposition 8 carried Tuesday with 52.5 percent of the vote. San Mateo County voters did not support the measure; 62.4 percent of locals voted against Proposition 8.

“It has been a privilege and an honor to marry same-sex couples in San Mateo County while it was legal to do so.” Slocum said in a prepared statement. “It is not a service to create a legal ambiguity for people. There will be costly lawsuits and legal challenges in the days and months ahead.”