Delaware became the 11th state to legalize same-sex marriage after a lengthy debate Tuesday in the state Senate and the surprise votes of two lawmakers, USA TODAY reports. A half-hour after the 12-9 Senate vote, Gov. Jack Markell signed the legislation into law on the main stairs in the lobby of Legislative Hall. Democratic Sen. Bethany Hall-Long and Republican Sen. Catherine Cloutier provided the swing votes in favor of the legislation; Cloutier was the lone Republican yes vote in the Senate and one of two in the General Assembly as a whole. According to the bill, Delaware residents will be able to enter into same-sex marriage effective July 1. The law provides a mechanism for converting existing same-sex civil unions established in Delaware to marriages.
