60°
MAMARONECK, N.Y. Mamaroneck has not seen many same-sex marriages in the town since it became legal in New York one year ago, according to a town official.
Tuesday marked the anniversary of the state's Marriage Equality Act, which granted same-sex couples the ability to be legally married.
Town Clerk Christina Battalia said that, although she did not have a formal count, few licenses had been issued by the town. Maybe three male couples and two female couples, approximately, she said.
The town licenses also include the Village of Mamaroneck and the Village of Larchmont.
To obtain a marriage license in Mamaroneck, proof of identity is necessary, including a birth certificate and a second form of identification. If an applicant was previously married, proof of divorce is required. Once a marriage license is obtained, a couple can get married anywhere in the state.
Out-of-state residents can legally obtain a marriage license here.
You dont have to be a state resident to get married in New York, Battalia said.
The Marriage Equality Act was signed into law July 24, 2011, by New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo. It granted same-sex couples the ability to marry under the law and all the rights that go along with marriage. The law also calls for respect and support from the state for same-sex couples and recognizes that the right to marriage under the law calls for protected equality for all New York citizens.
One year ago, the Marriage Equality Act became a reality for same-sex couples upstate and downstate who had been living for decades with disparate treatment simply based on their sexual orientation, Cuomo said in a press statement.
We hope that this effort inspires others to remove the vestiges of inequality and injustice that may still exist in laws and practices, he said.
The Mamaroneck Daily Voice interviewed the first gay couple to be married in the town last year. Please click here to read the story.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Mamaroneck and receive free news updates.
