By Susan LaBombard, Alexandria
(File Photo)  

To the editor:

My partner of 20 years and I are getting married next month in Maryland because Virginia, of course, does not allow same-sex marriage.

For non-resident marriage applications, Maryland allows us to appear before a clerk of the circuit court where we reside to affirm, under oath, that the information we provide on the application (names, Social Security numbers, address, etc.) is true.

The clerk simply would be confirming, with his signature and seal, that we appeared before him and swore that our information was true. He would not be issuing a marriage license. But Clerk of the Circuit Court of the City of Alexandria Edward Semonian recently refused to do even that.

We have lived in Old Town for more than 14 years. We’ve paid significant taxes and supported local businesses. Our neighbors — Republican, Democratic, younger and older — have been very supportive of us. Many are attending our wedding.

But despite all this, we could not get a simple service — verification that we swear our information is correct. Hopefully, Virginia’s new governor and attorney general will succeed in their efforts to bring long overdue change. In the interim, this experience exemplifies why we stay here and vote.