Cape Girardeau, other Missouri counties not granting gay marriages

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Many Missouri counties are declining to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples a day after a judge in St. Louis ruled that the state's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional.

The president of the Recorders' Association of Missouri said the group was advising county officials Wednesday that the ruling by St. Louis Circuit Judge Rex Burlison applies only to that city and not the rest of the state.

Association president Jan Jones said she was following that advice in Johnson County and not issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Officials in Boone, Cole, Greene, Miller, Osage and Jasper counties also said they weren't issuing the licenses.

Cape Girardeau County Recorder of Deeds Scott R. Clark said no same-sex couples had come to his office to apply for a marriage license as of 10:30 a.m. Thursday, but if they had, no license would have been granted.

"I have read the order and judgment issued, and it does not apply to any other county in the state," Clark said. "This was done in the city of St. Louis, so it only applies there. We will still follow the rules and wait on a Supreme Court decision."

But a spokeswoman for the St. Louis County recorder of deeds said it already had issued marriage licenses to two same-sex couples Wednesday.

Missourian reporter Erin Ragan contributed to this story.