More than 5,000 same-sex couples have taken advantage of the new Illinois freedom to marry law to have their love recognized by the state and to enjoy the same rights and benefits of other married couples and their families, according to a new statewide survey conducted by Equality Illinois. […]
Equality Illinois surveyed all 102 Illinois counties and found that at least 3,274 marriage licenses have been issued and 1,694 civil unions converted to marriages in every corner of the state.
In addition, the Illinois Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, which went into effect on June 1, 2014, automatically recognizes the same-sex marriages performed in other states, the District of Columbia and other nations, as marriages in Illinois. […]
Counting an exact number of same-sex couples who have obtained marriage licenses or converted a civil union into a marriage is a challenge because each of the 102 Illinois county clerks keeps records in a different way. Also, some counties, including Cook County, were able to start issuing licenses months before the law went into full effect due to federal court orders, and those numbers are included in the new totals.
The Equality Illinois survey also found that some county clerks combined the new marriage licenses and conversions from civil unions into one number. Other counties–including Will, Ogle, McLean, Kendall, and DeKalb–said they treat all marriages the same so do not keep a record of the same-sex marriages. If they had, the number of newly recorded same-sex marriages would easily be over 5,000.
Still, the Equality Illinois survey found that marriage licenses and civil union conversions were issued everywhere from the 10 licenses and conversions in Alexander County in the southernmost tip of Illinois to the 2,370 new licenses and 800 conversions in Cook County.
In the Chicago metropolitan area, there were also 50 licenses and 119 conversions in DuPage County, 42 licenses and 71 conversions in Lake County, 66 conversions in Will County (which did not separately count licenses issued to same-sex couples), 18 licenses and 25 conversions in McHenry County, and 36 licenses and 71 conversions in Kane County.
In some of the other counties around the state reporting a sizable number of marriages, there were 100 licenses and 45 conversions in Rock Island County, 116 licenses and 79 conversions in Sangamon County, 99 licenses and conversions in Madison County (which didn’t separate the two categories), 108 licenses and 62 conversions in Champaign County, 62 licenses and 4 conversions in Massac County, and 45 licenses and 33 conversions in St. Clair County.
Of the state’s 102 counties, five did not respond to the Equality Illinois inquiries. Nine counties reported no licenses issued to same-sex couples or civil union conversions
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 1:09 pm:
I feel my het marriage withering on the vine thanks to these gay marriages. Oh woh is me.
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 1:10 pm:
Make that woe is me. Yes, that’s better.
- Birdseed - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 1:10 pm:
== 62 licenses in Massac County? Wow. Good for them. ==
They are coming over from Kentucky, with the added benefit of getting a wedding picture with Superman.
- Tweed Jacket - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 1:14 pm:
10 / 5 in Clark; one of the few counties that went for Alan Keyes in 04′ Surprising.
- Jimbo - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 1:23 pm:
Have to think that those Massac County licensees include quite a few Kentuckyians. I didn’t know there were that many residents of the Massac County, much less gay couples ready to tie the knot lol. Anyway, for all the haters out there who asked why the lege should be worried about passing this when they did: 10,000 people, thats how many people were being denied the right to marry but wanted to so. I’d say it was important.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 1:27 pm:
Why hasn’t my marriage and family collapsed yet? I was hoping for a little ‘me’ time this summer.
To the newlyweds, mazeltov.
- Just Observing - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 1:36 pm:
I went in to get my marriage license (non-same sex) about a month ago — I’d say about 1/3 of the people there were same-sex couples. This was Cook County.
- A guy... - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 1:41 pm:
=== wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 1:27 pm:
Why hasn’t my marriage and family collapsed yet? I was hoping for a little ‘me’ time this summer.
To the newlyweds, mazeltov.====
Keep an eye out for that process server Slinger! lol. The Mrs. will get no competition from me.
I’ll add my mazel tov to yours.
- Nearly Normal - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 1:44 pm:
According to an earlier article in the Pantagraph, 35 couples with Civil Union Licenses had scheduled a time after June 1 to convert those to a Marriage License in McLean County.
Looks like same sex marriage is a go in the corn belt.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 1:48 pm:
Whose marriage last longer — Deb Mell or Kim Kardashian?
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 2:05 pm:
==10 / 5 in Clark; one of the few counties that went for Alan Keyes in 04′ Surprising.==
Like Masaac, they may get some from across the border with terre haute only a few miles away.
- walker - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 2:06 pm:
My bet is the success and failure rates over time will be about the same for these new marriages, as for the rest. This equality strengthens our society, and the institution.
- train111 - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 2:51 pm:
Wabash County is also suprisingly high at 20.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 2:56 pm:
==Why hasn’t my marriage and family collapsed yet? I was hoping for a little ‘me’ time this summer.==
Something like this?
http://youtu.be/oymDBLsrewc?t=5m
- kj - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 2:58 pm:
They could be getting people from Nashville coming up to get married at the casino.
- Macon County - Thursday, Jul 10, 14 @ 5:09 pm:
Macon County gave the same response as Will, Ogle, McLean, Kendall,and De Kalb. Staring June 1st all marriages are the same and are reported as marriages.
Marriage equality should mean that all marriages should be report as marriages and only conversions from a civil union to marriage should be reported differently.