Dear Community,
On Monday, April 27th is the first day that gay and lesbian couples will be able to apply for marriage in the state of Iowa as we become the third state in the nation to grant full marriage equality. There are lots of questions flying about, so I have gathered as much information as I could about the subject. Please share! On Monday, there will be volunteers from One Iowa on hand at the Johnson County Administration building to help answer questions. There will probably be other happy people on hand to witness this historic event.
You must apply for marriage in the county you live in: If you live in Iowa City, you are in Johnson County and apply at the County Recorder’s office at 913 S. Dubuque St. in Iowa City. They are open from 8 – 5. (319) 356-6093 Fax: (319) 339-6181 Their website has all the documents and information you will need: http://www.johnson-county.com/recorder/index.shtml
Also, there will be a new application form available on Monday which will change the language to be gender neutral. You may use either the old form, or the new one.
From Kim Painter, our County Recorder:
“Important Points to Remember for Same-Sex Couples Regarding April 27th and the Issuing of Licenses to Marry in Johnson County, Iowa
The ability to issue licenses will not start on the 27th until issuance of procedendo, an order from the Iowa Supreme Court to the District Court to carry out its ruling. This will strike down the “one man/one woman” wording in the Code of Iowa, allowing all 99 recorders to immediately begin to issue licenses to same-sex applicants. We hope and expect it will occur early the morning of the 27th, but we do not know and cannot be certain. [Yes, in theory this means you could be here at 8:00, and wait until 8:30 or even 11:00 a.m.]
A mandatory three-day waiting period after application is still the law in Iowa. In Johnson County, in order to properly process the volume of applications we receive, we traditionally ask all couples to pick up their licenses and certificate in three days (only one spouse, with ID, needs to return). You also have the option of having us mail the licenses and certificate to you after the three-day wait. The marriage paperwork, by law, is not effective for three days even if you have it in your hands. This means you will not be able to get a license and have a marriage ceremony on Monday without a waiver from a judge.
Waiver forms (if you wish to make your case to a judge for bypassing the 3-day waiting period) are obtained immediately after applying in the office of recorder.
The opportunity to have a judge sign a waiver occurs only between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m., M-F, at the Courthouse. In Johnson County, the Courthouse and the County Admin Building (where the County Recorder is, 913 S. Dubuque St. Iowa City) are not the same building – they are approximately 4-5 blocks apart). The Johnson County Courthouse is located at:
Both prospective spouses, and one witness (a person who can attest to the age and identity of both parties to the marriage) must appear if applying in person, preferably with valid state-issued photo ID or US passport. Each party and witness must be at least 18 years of age. The fee is $35.00. Check or cash only – no credit or debit options are currently available for payment.”
From Matt Fender, Lambda Legal and One Iowa:
“Marriage Resource Kit:
One Iowa has an online marriage resource kit. It can be accessed at: http://www.one-iowa.org/web/marriage/ . The resource kit is a very thorough collection of pages, including Tips for Couples Getting Married, FAQs from Lambda Legal, and Marriage Events. It's sort of a one-stop-shop for all things marriage.
Volunteering on Marriage Day (4/27):
We're still looking for people who can take a full or half day and help out at the Recorders office in various counties. We'll be making sure that all couples in line have the correct documents, get their questions answered, and just generally making sure the day goes smoothly. We'd love to have a presence at as many county courthouses as possible. Volunteers are encouraged to contact Matt Fender at gro.lageladbmal|rednefm#gro.lageladbmal|rednefm or by calling 646.752.5932.
Phonebanks:
One Iowa is continuing its Legislative Thank You project. We need people who would be willing to make calls to Iowans who are supportive of marriage equality and ask them for permission to send a Thank You card to their legislator for voting in favor of equality in the past few weeks. Local phonebanks will be coming up, and volunteers can even call from home — we'll send you a script and phone numbers. With the other side working hard to intimidate these legislators, WE NEED HELP NOW to provide positive reinforcement to our reluctant allies in the legislature. Email gro.lageladbmal|rednefm#gro.lageladbmal|rednefm with your willingness to help out with these phonebanks!
