Yolo County will begin marrying same-sex couples the minute it is legal – at the stroke of 5 o'clock Monday afternoon.
Clerk-Recorder Freddie Oakley will close her office for about an hour Monday afternoon so staff can load gender-neutral marriage forms into county computer systems. Then, at 5 p.m., she'll start performing weddings for at least seven couples.
"This is a big event for them, and we're extending our hours to accommodate them," said Barbara Patenaude, Yolo County's chief deputy clerk/recorder.
The state Supreme Court ruled last month that gay marriage is legal in California, allowing marriage licenses to be issued to same-sex couples.
Oakley's office will stay open until 8 p.m. Monday to issue licenses and perform ceremonies. Sonoma County also has said it would remain open into the evening on Monday.
Most counties, including Sacramento County, are expected to begin officiating same-sex marriages on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Butte County became the latest to announce that its staff would stop performing marriage ceremonies. Officials said, however, that they would continue to issue marriage licenses – regardless of the sexual orientation of the couples seeking matrimony.
Butte County Clerk Candace Grubbs cited economic reasons for her decision to stop with the weddings and denied it had anything to do with opposition to same-sex marriage.
"I think the timing is terrible, but I would give that clerk the benefit of the doubt," said Stephen Weir, the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder who heads the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials. Meager county budgets are putting a squeeze on many services, he said.
Weir, who is gay and plans to marry his partner next week, had urged his colleagues across the state not to jump the gun and suggested they wait until Tuesday to begin issuing same-sex marriage licenses.
Last week, clerks in Kern and Merced counties launched what amounted to a revolt against the high court's May 15 decision.
Kern County Clerk Ann Barnett, who was advised by county lawyers that she could not pick and choose which weddings she performed, decided that she would begin using the gender-neutral forms but stop holding county-officiated ceremonies.
Merced County Clerk Stephen Jones said his county would also stop performing marriage ceremonies but later backed down under pressure and said he would assign one of his employees to perform the ceremonies.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said the city will perform just one ceremony Monday – between Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, the same octogenarian couple who were the first in line when Newsom startled the nation four years and began issuing same-sex marriage licenses. A court soon after ordered him to stop.
Marriages will begin en masse the next morning in San Francisco. So far, 128 same-sex couples have made appointments to obtain marriage license on Tuesday.
Sacramento County will extend its hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through June 19 at its downtown office. At least 70 marriages are expected to be performed there and in the Fair Oaks office, but it was not immediately known how many would be same-sex couples.
Call The Bee's Bobby Caina Calvan, (916) 321-1067. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
