Fair Wisconsin's Tim Ewing passes along this post celebrating the first day of domestic partnerships in Wisconsin:
Wisconsin's domestic partner registry is officially up and running! Yesterday, Fair Wisconsin staff and volunteers were on hand in Madison and Milwaukee to greet the same-sex couples whose relationships will finally be legally recognized. I arrived at the Dane County Building at 5:00 A.M., less than fifteen minutes ahead of the first couple! Congratulations to Janice and Crystal, first to register in Dane County--a committed couple for 29 years! Our Executive Director, Katie Belanger, and I arrived at the Milwaukee County Courthouse just before the county clerk's office opened. We had the opportunity to talk to a variety of couples--including Cylest and Katie, the first couple in Milwaukee County to register and Fair Wisconsin volunteers in the afternoon! 
It was a moving day for several couples. I witnessed (and distributed!) lots of hugs, even a few tears of joy and heard more than once, "We never thought we'd see anything like this in our lifetimes." Some brought friends while others included family, such as Anne and Denise, pictured to the right with their son. Congratulations to all the same-sex couples who registered! If you're planning to register, please refer to www.fairwisconsin.com for information on domestic partnerships in Wisconsin, the registration process and county clerk information.
