Taos County Clerk Anna Martinez on Wednesday began issuing
marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples, joining 5 other New
Mexico counties.
According to The
Taos News, Dale Schuette and Reg Stark asked a district court
judge to allow them to marry after they were denied a license by
Martinez's office on Tuesday.
Judge Jeff McElroy concluded that New Mexico's law does not
prohibit same-sex couples from marrying.
“The only reason they were denied is because they are of the
same gender,” McElroy said.
Martinez said that she would not challenge the ruling and issued
the men a marriage license.
The couple, together 30 years, was expected to marry Wednesday
afternoon in a ceremony to be presided by Judge McElroy.
Hundreds of gay couples have married in the week since Dona Ana
County Clerk Lynn Ellins began issuing marriage licenses.
(Related: 6
New Mexico counties issue marriage licenses to gay couples, cover 56%
of state.)