Browsed by
Tag: petitions

Federal judges OK release of R-71 petitions

Federal judges OK release of R-71 petitions

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has just lifted the ban on Washington releasing Referendum 71 petitions. A three-judge panel handed a clear victory to the Secretary of State Sam Reed and Attorney General Rob McKenna, who had vigorously argued that the state’s voter-approved Public Records Act requires the state to treat initiative and referendum petition sheets as a releasable public record. The court, in a brief three-page order released from Pasadena, Calif., said it is reversing Tacoma-based U.S. District…

Read More Read More

R-71: Stay tuned for federal court decision on petitions

R-71: Stay tuned for federal court decision on petitions

Should Washington officials be allowed to release Referendum 71 petition sheets? That touchy issue is in the hands of a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena, Calif., following a hearing this morning. Deputy Solicitor General Bill Collins, who represented the state, reported a very well-prepared panel and a “very lively” discussion of the issues. He said the court has taken the case under advisement without indicating when – or how – they will rule. Since the appeals…

Read More Read More

Federal judge continues ban on public release of R-71 petitions

Federal judge continues ban on public release of R-71 petitions

U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle is continuing the ban on public release of Referendum 71 petitions at least temporarily, possibly until Sept. 11 or beyond. Settle says supporters of the state’s new “everything but marriage” law may see the names and addresses of people who signed the petitions, for possible use in a Thurston County Superior Court case that attempts to block the public vote via R-71.  The group may not make the information public, he said. The closely watched…

Read More Read More

5 Questions with the Assistant Director of Elections

5 Questions with the Assistant Director of Elections

Shane Hamlin, assistant director for the agency’s Elections Division, fills you in on what’s next for Referendum 71 – and what needs to happen for it to get on the Nov. ballot. Q.) Today sponsors of R-71 turned in enough petition sheets for Elections to begin the process of counting signatures. What happens now? The petition sheets will be secured in a vault at the State Archives, and at the start of the weekday, Archives staff will begin microfilming the…

Read More Read More

R-71 backers bring in signature petitions

R-71 backers bring in signature petitions

Sponsors of Referendum 71, hoping to force a public vote this fall on the state’s new “everything but marriage” domestic partnership bill, have brought in what they estimate are least 138,000 voter signatures. The bare minimum to qualify for the Nov. 3 statewide ballot is 120,577, but traditionally an average of about 18 percent turn out to be invalid. The state Elections Division has recommended that referendum sponsors bring in a 25 percent pad, for a total of about 150,000 or more. The…

Read More Read More

Eyman comes clean: I-1033 petitions sport low error rate

Eyman comes clean: I-1033 petitions sport low error rate

State initiative checkers are always cranky about how many bad signatures are submitted by some sponsors. We’re not talking doctors’ signature bad, but rather the traditionally high number that are either not registered voters or are duplicates or dippy (as in using the name “Mickey Mouse”).   Historically, about 1 in 5 signatures, over 18 percent,  don’t pan out. One recent measure had a 26.1 percent error rate and plenty have topped 20 percent. It’s bad enough that officials suggest that sponsors turn in a…

Read More Read More