 Existing registered partnerships remain in force and can be converted to a marriage if the parties so desire, either through a written application or through a formal ceremony.New registered partnerships are no longer able to be entered into and marriage is now the only legally recognized form of union for couples regardless of sex.On 22 October 2009, the governing board of the Church of Sweden, voted 176–62 in favour of allowing its priests to wed same-sex couples in new gender-neutral church ceremonies, including the use of the term "marriage".