County Official Challenges North Carolina Same-Sex Marriage Ban

A North Carolina county official has stated he will accept marriage license applications from same-sex couples, and he is also seeking the advice of the state's top lawyer, reports the Associated Press.

Although North Carolina's constitution was amended in 2012 to ban same-sex couples from marrying in the state, Buncombe County register of deeds Drew Reisinger said Monday that the law is unfair and that he is upset he has been forced to deny licenses to gay and lesbian couples. Rather than turn away "upstanding citizens," Reisinger plans to hold marriage applications from same-sex couples while awaiting the advice of state attorney general Roy Cooper.

However, while Cooper has revealed he supports marriage equality, he says his personal views cannot keep him from defending the state's same-sex marriage ban. Cooper's spokeswoman Noelle Talley responded in a recent written statement, saying, "These marriage licenses cannot be issued."

Buncome County, in the western portion of the state, includes the city of Asheville.