The ruling that legalized same-sex marriages comes into effect today at 5:01 p.m. PT. Although it is after county marriage licensing hours, many offices plan to stay open late to accommodate same-sex couples.
Clerks expect a large number of couples Tuesday morning. They will complete marriage-license applications that replace "Bride" and "Groom" with "Partner A" and "Partner B."
The California Supreme Court struck down a state ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional in a May 15 ruling. The state Department of Public Health, which serves as state registrar and oversees vital records, designated Monday as the last day the court could rule on any requests for a rehearing.
Opponents say that they have collected enough signatures to call for a statewide referendum that would define marriage as between a woman and a man. The California secretary of state must verify the signatures in order for voting to take place on an amendment.
