Seattle City Hall will open for several hours for wedding ceremonies on the Sunday after Washington state's new law allowing gay marriage takes effect.
Aaron Pickus, a spokesman for Mayor Mike McGinn, said Friday that eight municipal judges are donating their time to marry couples between noon and 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9, three days after Referendum 74 takes effect. While couples will be able to pick up their marriage licenses on Dec. 6, because Washington has a three-day waiting period, the earliest a certificate could be signed, making the marriage valid, is that following Sunday.
The Seattle weekly newspaper The Stranger wrote Thursday that it is donating $2,000 to help pay for materials and that Stranger staff members will volunteer their time to help organize the event.
King County Recorder's Office special hours
The King County Recorder’s Office is making plans for the first day of marriage equality in Washington State. If Referendum 74 is certified as passed by the voters, the first day that marriage licenses can be issued to same-sex couples will be Thursday, Dec. 6. The first day that licenses could be used is three days later, Sunday, Dec. 9.
The Recorder's Office in the King County Administration Building, 500 Fourth Ave. in downtown Seattle, will be open for extended hours. Thursday, December 6: 12:01 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday, December 7: 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, December 8: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We will NOT be open on Sunday, Dec. 9, and we will NOT be able to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples until Dec. 6.
