The California Supreme Court today rejected a bid to freeze last month’s ruling legalizing gay marriage, paving the way for same-sex couples to begin walking down the aisle as soon as June 17.

Moving swiftly to remove legal uncertainty, the court turned away a request from gay marriage foes to stay the ruling until after the November election, when voters will consider a ballot measure that would change the state Constitution to again outlaw same-sex weddings. The secretary of state earlier this week qualified the initiative for the November ballot.

The justices were divided 4-3 on whether to rehear their earlier decision, the same split that unfolded when the gay marriage case was decided in May. Conservative organizations, joined by 11 other states, asked the court to reopen the case, a move opposed by civil rights groups, San Francisco city officials and Attorney General Jerry Brown.

The Supreme Court found California’s ban on same-sex weddings unconstitutional in a 4-3 ruling that reverberated across the country. Since that time, state officials have created new marriage licenses and announced that they would be prepared to handle gay marriages on June 17, the day after the Supreme Court’s ruling becomes final.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera applauded the court’s move, saying it would have “politicized our judiciary” if the justices had put the ruling on hold until the election. And civil rights lawyers said gay couples were now poised to take advantage of their newfound legal rights.

“Lesbian and gay couples in California will be able to marry on an equal basis starting on June 17,” said Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights. “Every day, public support for the freedom to marry is growing.”

Conservative organizations had argued that the court’s ruling should not go into effect until after the election because of the uncertainty surrounding same-sex marriages that are expected to take place between now and November. If voters approve the ballot measure banning gay marriage, it would cast doubt over same-sex marriages, an issue expected to be tied up in the courts.

“This is a 4-3 vote for legal chaos,” said Glen Lavy, attorney for the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund.

Civil rights lawyers have vowed to challenge the ballot measure if it is approved by votersin light of the Supreme Court’s ruling that same-sex couples should have an equal right to marry.

A Field Poll last week found a majority of Californians narrowly oppose the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.