Fresh polling continues to show a tight finish in the ballot battle over whether to approve or reject Washington’s new expansion of domestic partner benefits and protections.

SurveyUSA, polling 548 likely voters for KING 5, showed the battle to be within the margin of error, with little more than a week until voters can start marking mail-in ballots. As reported by Seattlepi.com, the survey showed 45 percent in favor, 42 percent opposed, and the rest undecided.  Women, Democrats, Seattle metro and younger voters were heavily inclined to vote to uphold the new “everything but marriage” law that passed this spring.  Republicans, Eastern Washington voters, independents and men were largely opposed.

Referendum 71, mounted by opponents of the new law, gives voters a choice of approving Senate Bill 5688, the expanded domestic partner bill, or rejecting it. Repeating, your choice is to “approve” or “reject “the new domestic partner law.

The same polling firm showed that the other statewide ballot measure, Initiative 1033 sponsored by Tim Eyman and Voters Want More Choices, with a double-digit lead – 45 percent in favor, 32 percent opposed, and 22 percent still undecided. This measure would cap general fund revenue growth for the state, city and county governments, with excess dollars going for property tax relief.