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Married in Des Moines
Abstract: The marriage window in Iowa opens and then closes abruptly.
In Polk County, Iowa, same-sex marriages were legal from 2PM Thursday August 30 (when Judge Robert Hanson declared unconstitutional a 1998 state law banning same-sex marriages) until 12:30PM Friday August 31 (when Judge Hanson issued a stay of his order in response to a motion filed by County Attorney John Sarcone).
In that short time, Polk County accepted marriage license requests from 27 hopeful same-sex couples. Of these applicants, only one couple successfully navigated the process to be granted a marriage license: Tim McQuillan and Sean Fritz paid an extra $5 fee and obtained a signed waiver from a judge to skip the 3-day waiting period that is the default for marriage license requests. Their marriage was performed by Rev. Mark Stringer of First Unitarian Church of Des Moines at 10:32 Friday morning and at 10:45 they filed the completed license and received an official certificate of marriage.
sources: Reid Forgrave, Des Moines Register
Henry C. Jackson, Amy Lorentzen and Nafeesa Syeed, Associated Press.
