Poll: Pa. voters don’t approve of MontCo same-sex marriage licenses

 Montgomery County Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes has said in the past that his issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples who seek them is the

Montgomery County Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes has said in the past that his issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples who seek them is the "right thing" to do. (Ann Marie Awad/for NewsWorks)

A new poll shows Pennsylvania voters are split when it comes to Montgomery County granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples. 

The Franklin and Marshall College poll says that even though a majority of Pennsylvanians support same-sex couples marrying, they do not think Montgomery County should be granting licenses to gay and lesbian couples.

The county register of wills, D. Bruce Hanes has been approving the licenses because he thinks the state law prohibiting same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

Franklin and Marshall pollster Terry Madonna says 76 percent of Pennsylvanians say it’s unacceptable for officials to ignore laws they disagree with this way.

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“Voters of the state support gay marriage but don’t think that officials in the state who are empowered to issue marriage licenses ought to be issuing them to same sex couples while the law forbids it at the moment,” said Madonna.

Madonna says those polled think same-sex marriage should only happen if the legislature changes the law or it’s overturned by the courts.

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