A Stiles couple anxious to act on the same-sex marriage license application they filed in Oconto County last week will wait to tie the knot.
Lexi Woodworth, 22, and Kate McDermott, 25, have been in a relationship for several years and hope to marry.
U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled June 6 that the state’s gay marriage ban violated the U.S. Constitution. For a week, same-sex couples across the state were able to marry. But on Friday, Crabb issued a second order preventing same-sex marriages in Wisconsin while the state pursues an appeal of her original decision.
Woodworth said she and McDermott are resigned to waiting.
“We don’t have any options, so we’ll wait and see how long the appeal process takes,” she said. “I’m thankful of having the possibility of not having to wait 20 years for the opportunity (to marry).”
That possibility wasn’t available until June 11 when Oconto County Clerk Kim Pytleski began accepting applications for marriage licenses from same-sex couples. Although some counties issued licenses as early as June 6, following Crabb’s initial ruling, Pytleski waited for more direction from the court or state.
“We received no communication from the state or the attorney general’s office for guidance,” she said.
Then on June 11, the Wisconsin Vital Records Office began recording and filing licenses, and that prompted the county’s corporation counsel to issue a legal opinion directing the county to accept applications.
By the end of the day Friday, three applications were submitted. The applicants were subject to a five-day waiting period. While a number of counties in the state waived that waiting period, Oconto County did not.
Woodworth said the waiting period does not bother her.
“To be honest, I feel whatever the county did for heterosexual couples is fair for same-sex couples as well,” she said. “I don’t want to be singled out again.”
According to the Associated Press, 60 of 72 county clerks issued licenses to same-sex couples, and as of midday Thursday, 555 same-sex couples had gotten married in the state.
Van Hollen has said those couples are not legally married.
Whatever the outcome of the state’s legal battle, the same-sex couples who filed for marriage licenses in Oconto County will not be refunded their application fees. Pytleski said the couples were informed of the policy and were aware a judge could issue a stay on applications.
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