WASHINGTON — As of 4:00 p.m. ET on Friday, the Human Rights Campaign has confirmed that a seismic shift in favor of equality is occurring throughout Alabama as 50 counties — up from 23 yesterday afternoon – are, or will soon, begin to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Here is the current state of play across Alabama:
| Issuing to all couples: | Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chilton, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Coosa, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, Dallas, Dekalb, Elmore, Escambia, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Green, Henry, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Madison, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Russell, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, Wilcox and Winston. | 82 % of population | 47 counties |
| Will start next week: | Hale, Marion, Marshall, | 3% | 3 |
| Issuing to only straight couples: | Chambers, Choctaw, Clay, Cleburne. Covington, Houston, Marengo, Pickens, Shelby, Washington. | 10% | 10 |
| Not issuing licenses to any couples: | Bibb, Clarke, Geneva, Pike, Randolph, Tallapoosa, Walker. | 5% | 7 |
| Current as of 4:00 p.m. 2/13/2015 | Total: | 100% | 67 |
“We’ve seen a tremendous amount of progress since Monday and we’re confident that we’ll see more early next week,” said HRC communications vice president Fred Sainz. “These numbers represent a seismic shift in favor of equality and justice. Resistance to happy, loving and committed same-sex couples getting married is quickly crumbling throughout the state.”
Yesterday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Callie V.S. Granade issued an order in favor of several same-sex couples—represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights, ACLU of Alabama, and private counsel Christine Hernandez and David Kennedy—who tried unsuccessfully to get married in the city earlier this week. Mobile County Probate Judge Don Davis, who has refused to issue licenses to any couples since Monday, was cited by Granade for failing to follow the law. Probate judges throughout the state have clearly followed suit.
How is doing what a U.S. Judge tells you to do “seismic.” I would argue that if the counties had done it on their own after, say, some serious self-reflection, that would be “seismic,” This is merely political theater.