ORLANDO, Florida -- July 7, 2012

A central Florida county has opened a domestic partner registry that will grant participants some of the same rights as married couples.

Couples began signing up for Orange County's domestic partner registry on Friday. The registry extends the emergency notification and visitation protections first permitted for couples in Orlando countywide.

The Orlando Sentinel reports Phil Windsor and his partner Gary Ashland were the first couple to sign up for the registry. The pair has been in a committed relationship for more than two decades.

County commissioners approved the measure by a 6-1 vote but none showed up at the registry kick-off on Friday. The mayor did not attend either.