Make wishtv.com your home page

Entire Tenn. county clerk’s office resigns over same-sex marriage licenses

DECATUR COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) – The employees of the Decatur County clerk’s office in west Tennessee have resigned from their positions.

Clerk Gwen Pope and employees Sharon Bell and Mickey Butler all said their resignations were due to the Supreme Court’s decision to allow same-sex marriages.

The decision reportedly clashes with the employees’ religious beliefs. Their last day will be July 14.

Currently, the Decatur County’s clerk office will not issue a same-sex license.

Just Wednesday, the Associated Press reported all 95 counties in Tennessee are following last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned bans on same-sex marriage. Clerks are legally allowed to refuse to perform the marriages but must issue the licenses.