A New Mexico county clerk on Friday
resigned rather than issue marriage licenses to gay and lesbian
couples.
Roosevelt County Clerk Donna Carpenter
and her chief deputy, Janet Collins, tendered their resignations a
day after a New Mexico Supreme Court ruling legalized gay marriage in
the state.
(Related: New
Mexico: 17th state to legalize gay marriage.)
ProgressNowNM confirmed that Carpenter
objected to issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.
“We respect that these women made a
tough decision,” Pat Davis of ProgressNowNM said in a statement
emailed to On Top Magazine. “In the end, their decision to
resign is honorable if they feel that they are unable to execute
their duties under the law. All of our county clerks deserve credit
for coming together to ask for a definitive decision on this issue of
equality and we look forward to every clerk in the state offering
licenses to every loving couple in their county.”