I had a civil union in VT, can I get married in CA?

Domestic Partners / Civil Unions can get married in CA, there is no residency requirement. Of course if you live in a State that doesn't recognize civil unions / gay marriage it is besides the point. It can get tricky if the relationship sours because a State won't "divorce" you if they don't recognize a gay marriage and you do have to live in a State to get a divorce (some gay couples end up having to move to a State that recognizes gay marriages / civil unions in order to get a divorce).