UPDATE: Increasing Number of Alabama Counties Extend Marriage Rights to Couples

by HRC Staff •

2-13-15

Washington—  As of 4:00 p.m. ET on Friday, the Human Rights Campaign has confirmed that a seismic shift in favor of equality is occurring throughout Alabama as 50 counties -- up from 23 yesterday afternoon – are, or will soon, begin to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Here is the current state of play across Alabama:

Issuing to all couples:

Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chilton, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Coosa, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, Dallas, Dekalb, Elmore, Escambia, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Green, Henry, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Madison, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Russell, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, Wilcox and Winston.

82 % of population

47 counties

Will start next week:

Hale, Marion, Marshall,

3%

3

Issuing to only straight couples:

Chambers, Choctaw, Clay, Cleburne. Covington, Houston, Marengo, Pickens, Shelby, Washington.

10%

10

Not issuing licenses to any couples:

Bibb, Clarke, Geneva, Pike, Randolph, Tallapoosa, Walker.

5%

7

Current as of 4:00 p.m. 2/13/2015

Total:

100%

67

"We've seen a tremendous amount of progress since Monday and we're confident that we'll see more early next week," said HRC communications vice president Fred Sainz. "These numbers represent a seismic shift in favor of equality and justice. Resistance to happy, loving and committed same-sex couples getting married is quickly crumbling throughout the state."

Yesterday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Callie V.S. Granade issued an order in favor of several same-sex couples—represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights, ACLU of Alabama, and private counsel Christine Hernandez and David Kennedy—who tried unsuccessfully to get married in the city earlier this week. Mobile County Probate Judge Don Davis, who has refused to issue licenses to any couples since Monday, was cited by Granade for failing to follow the law. Probate judges throughout the state have clearly followed suit.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBT people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

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