Gay couples make up 20% of state's new marriages
OLYMPIA – New numbers show hundreds of same-sex couples have gotten married since Referendum 74 took effect.
Between December 9, 2012 and March 31, 2013, nearly 2,500 same-sex couples tied the knot. That’s more than 20 percent of the 11,661 marriages that occurred in that time. Female couples constituted the largest number of unions -- 63 percent -- during that time.
According to the Department of Health, same-sex marriages happened in 35 of the state’s 39 counties. Ferry, Asotin, Garfield and Wahkiakum counties haven’t reported any marriages and one-third of new marriages were performed in King County.
Since Washington is one of the states that allow same-sex marriage, 14 percent of the couples who got married came from another state.