SUQUAMISH — Should Heather Purser decide to marry her partner, she can do that in Suquamish now.

On Monday, the Suquamish Tribal Council formally changed its ordinances to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples.

The Suquamish ordinance means gay couples are afforded all the rights heterosexual couples are allowed on the reservation and other places in which gay marriages are allowed.

Purser, a 28-year-old who lives in Seattle but was raised in Kitsap County, has been trying to get the tribe's law changed for about four years. She made the most progress at the tribe's general council in March.

During that meeting of the tribe's entire enrolled membership, she stepped to the microphone asking for recognition for gay couples. The tribe's leadership said they would continue to consider it, she said.

When Purser sat down people around her told her she needed to get up again and request a vote of the entire audience.

"One of my cousins said, 'They're just going to keep dragging their feet,'" Purser said.

She once again made her request, this time asking for a vote and expecting some opposition. "I was expecting a major fight. I didn't think anyone would support me," she said.

If there were any dissenters, they were not loud enough for Purser to hear them.