Volney, New York town clerk Barbara
MacEwen says she won't sign any marriage licenses for gay or lesbian
couples, POLITICO.com
reported.
MacEwen, who has served as Volney's
town clerk for 15 years, told the all-things-political website that
she's opposed to marriage equality and refuses to become a party to
such weddings.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on
Friday signed the legislation into law after it cleared the
Republican-controlled Senate, the highest hurdle the measure needed
to clear, making the Empire State the most populous state yet to
legalize gay marriage.
“If there's any possible way to not
do it legally, then yes, I would not want to put my name on any of
those certificates,” MacEwen told POLITICO. “That's their life,
they can do it, but I don't feel I should be forced into something
that's against my morals and my God.”
POLITICO reported that the 75-year-old
Republican has reached out to her state senator – Republican Patty
Richie, who voted against the measure on Friday – for help.
While the law does include strong
religious protections, they do not extend to public officials.
The law goes into effect on July 25.