NEW YORK, NY February 12, 2009 —Hundreds of gay and lesbian couples were turned away from marriage bureaus across the country including the new one in Lower Manhattan in an annual ritual that took on renewed urgency, following setbacks for the gay marriage movement.

Matt Flanders says he challenged the clerk when she turned down his request for a license to marry his partner, Will Jennings.

JENNINGS: So what you're telling me is that although I'm a taxpayer and I pay the same taxes as everyone else I don't have the same rights as everyone else. And she said, ahhh, I'm sorry. I wish I could help you out. But it's the law.

REPORTER: This year's protest was considered more important than ever, because of California's Proposition Eight vote.

Gay marriage advocates' hopes have also been dashed in New York, after the leader of the new Democratic majority in the state senate, Malcolm Smith, told them he doesn't have the votes to legalize same sex marriage legislation.