Three New Mexico counties on Tuesday said that they would join
three counties currently issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian
couples.
County clerks in San Miguel (Las Vegas) and Valencia (Los Lunas)
announced they were prepared to move forward, while the Taos county
clerk was preparing for a court to order her to do so.
The moves come a day after a New Mexico judge declared such unions
legal in New Mexico and ordered the county clerks of Bernalillo and
Santa Fe counties to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex
couples.
(Related: New
Mexico judge declares gay marriage legal; orders county to issue
licenses.)
Dona Ana County Clerk Lynn Ellins began issuing marriage licenses
to gay couples without a court order last week.
While New Mexico has 33 counties, more than half (56%) of the
population lives in these six counties.
In Bernalillo, the state's most populous county, more than 80
couples helped inaugurate the new policy with a mass wedding held on
Albuquerque's Civic Plaza at noon. More than 200 guests were in
attendance to witness the historic moment.