PORLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A recall petition drive has failed against two county commissioners who approved gay marriage licenses in March.
Chairwoman Diane Linn and fellow commissioner Lisa Naito both said they were relieved the petition drive led by the Christian Coalition missed the Monday deadline to submit the 37,000 signatures needed to place the recall on the ballot.
"It would have been costly and time-consuming," Linn said of a recall vote, estimating it would have cost taxpayers at least $300,000.
John Belgarde, executive director of the Christian Coalition, said about 35,000 signatures were gathered.
On March 3, four Multnomah County commissioners met privately and decided, with no public hearings, that the county would begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. They made the decision after a legal review determined it was unconstitutional to deny issuing licenses to same-sex couples.
The policy was immediately challenged and a judge ordered the county to stop issuing the licenses until the Legislature can consider the issue or the Oregon Supreme Court rules on it.
More than 3,000 same-sex couples tied the knot before the judge's ruling.
