WORCESTER, Mass. – Liz and Lauren Rose-Cohen, both 29, of Portland, Maine, decided Sunday night they would apply for a marriage license on Monday.

And though they could have claimed legal Massachusetts residence – because they have a room at Liz’s parents’ house in Ashburnham – they decided to apply in Worcester in part for the civil disobedience of it.

Gov. Mitt Romney has told clerks not to issue licenses to out-of-state couples, because of a 1913 law that bans licenses for couples if their marriage would not be legal in their home state.

But Worcester clerk David Rushford said he was not asking applicants where they live.

“We’re not considered under the law to be the marriage police, and that process isn’t going to change today just because we’re adding same-sex couples,” he said.

Liz and Lauren Rose-Cohen met 10 years ago as students at Mount Holyoke College. They held their 6-month-old adopted daughter, Willa, as they applied for their license, and were accompanied by Liz Rose-Cohen’s parents.

No wedding plans have been set yet.

“This is special,” said Bill Webber, the father of six children, including Liz Rose-Cohen. “This is like when the [other children] got married. I’d like it to be recognized.”