A Republican state senator is urging Iowans to flood county recorders offices on Monday, the day same-sex couples may apply for marriage licenses in the recorders’ offices in all 99 counties.
Senator Merlin Bartz, a Republican from Grafton, says Iowans should deliver petitions urging those local officials to ignore the court ruling that legalized gay marriage. "Hopefully they listen to the will of the people who reside in their county and vote for them," Bartz says.
Bartz argues other county officials like county attorneys and county sheriffs pick and choose which laws to enforce, so county recorders should be able to choose not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
"The ultimate decision on this particular issue needs to be made by the people of the State of Iowa, given the opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between one man and one woman," Bartz says. Until then, Bartz says Iowans should pressure their county recorders to refuse to issue marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.
Bartz and the Iowa Family Policy Center have posted the petition on line, urging like-minded Iowans to run off several copies and take them to church this Sunday to get signatures. Bartz wants those petitions delivered to county recorders on Monday, when othe offices open for business.
"This is really to show county recorders that people’s voices have not been heard," Bartz said.
According to the Iowa Attorney General, all county recorders in Iowa are required to comply with the decision. County recorders who refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples could be removed from office.