The federal appeals court that last month struck down Virginia’s ban on same-sex unions refused Wednesday to delay the effects of its ruling. State officials said that unless the United States Supreme Court interceded, Virginia counties could begin issuing marriage licenses to gay couples next week.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, in Richmond, Va., voted 2-to-1 in July to uphold a Federal District Court’s ruling in February that Virginia’s ban, which voters approved in 2006, was invalid. In another 2-to-1 ruling announced Wednesday, the court said it would not stay its decision. The judges who voted to deny the stay, Henry F. Floyd and Roger L. Gregory, did not explain their reasoning.

The ban’s supporters quickly said they would appeal the Fourth Circuit’s decision on the stay to the Supreme Court, which has already received an appeal of the Richmond panel’s July opinion.

“The people of Virginia and every other state should continue to be free to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman in their laws if they choose to do so,” said Byron Babione, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, which represents a Prince William County court clerk who supports the ban.