Buffalo — Christina Mercado and Evelyn Arroyo were the first of twenty couples who were issues marriage licenses on Sunday, July 24, 2011.
The City of Buffalo residents plan to return to City Hall on Tuesday to solemnize their marriage with a scheduled civil ceremony
The city clerk's office had decided to open the office on a Sunday after consultation with the Buffalo Common Council President David Franczyk and Majority Leader Richard Fontana. Council President David Franczyk told Outcome on Friday. "It just seemed like the right thing to do for people who have waited so long."
New York's Marriage Equality Act was signed into law by Governor Cuomo on June 24, 2011, allowing same-sex couples to marry legally in New York for the first time.
The Buffalo City Clerks office has four marriage officers on staff and every City of Buffalo Councilmember is a marriage officer.
Please note that there is a 24 hour "waiting period" when taking out a license before the license becomes valid to use, and it is also valid for up to 60 days in advance of the ceremony. A waiver to the waiting period can be requested from a New York State Supreme Court Justice or County Court Judge. Judges are not required to issue waivers and do so based upon their judicial opinion of the Judge.
Currently, all applicants need to bring in their drivers license and birth certificate to take out a license.
The Buffalo City Clerk's office is at 1308 City Hall, Buffalo, NY 14202 and can be reached at 716-851-5431.
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