RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — About 2 percent of North Carolina’s magistrates have officially recused themselves from performing marriages since the legislature passed a law last month responding to gay marriages becoming legal in the state last October.
A state court system spokeswoman said July 7 that it had received notices from 14 magistrates citing a “sincerely held religious objection.” They are prohibited from performing civil marriages — for both straight and gay couples — for at least six months. There are more than 670 magistrates statewide.
The court system considers the magistrates’ names and their notices part of their personnel files and confidential.
The law took effect June 11 after the legislature overrode Gov. Pat McCrory’s veto. Some county registers of deeds workers also can recuse themselves from issuing marriage licenses.
