Ocean County communities received a small amount of applications for same-sex marriage on Monday now that the service is considered legal.
In Toms River, a municipality that gives out one of the highest number of marriage licenses statewide, six same-sex coupled applied by the end of the day, said Township Clerk Mark Mutter.
Toms River grants about 500 marriage applications – around 10 per week – each year, so six same-sex coupled along made for an above average day. The township has issued 425 licenses so far in 2013, Mutter said.
September and October tend to be busy months, said Mutter.
One couple in Berkeley applied for a marriage to "remarry," since the pair already received nuptials in New York. Another couple didn't have their paperwork, so they left.
"I think they'll be back," Beverly M. Carle, Berkeley Township registrar. "We've gotten a lot of calls, calls from people who have civil unions."
Elsewhere:
- Lacey received two applications, but a 72-hour waiting period likely precluded the couples from marrying just yet, officials said.
- Brick received five applications, but the clerk's office wasn't sure if any ceremonies were performed.
- Manchester had three applications for same-sex marriages.
- Barnegat and Stafford received no applications.
- Point Pleasant Boro officials refused to say how many applications they've received, saying the material is not public information.
The applications came after Gov. Chris Christie announced Monday that he was dropping the fight against same-sex marriage in New Jersey by withdrawing his his appeal of a major case that was being heard by the state Supreme Court, according to nj.com.
Across the state, gay couples were getting for the first time in New Jersey after the Supreme Court refused on Friday to delay the first weddings while it heard Christie's appeal of a lower-court ruling that legalized gay marriage last month.
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