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Category: Courts

Remembering former Supreme Court Justice Charles Z. Smith

Remembering former Supreme Court Justice Charles Z. Smith

Charles Z. Smith (Photo courtesy of Legacy Washington) Our office was saddened to hear about the recent passing of Charles Z. Smith, the state’s first African-American Superior Court judge and state Supreme Court justice. He was 89. In 2009, our Legacy Washington team produced a profile on Smith and his ground-breaking judicial career.  You can read it here. The profile, written by John C. Hughes, includes photos of Smith, as well as his biography and audio clips. From the profile:…

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Supreme Court allows I-1366 to stay on fall ballot

Supreme Court allows I-1366 to stay on fall ballot

  The state Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that Initiative 1366 can remain on this fall’s statewide ballot. The court said an opinion outlining the court’s reasoning would come later, but it wrote that the group suing to keep I-1366 off the ballot has “not made the clear showing necessary for injunctive relief.” Secretary of State Kim Wyman, the state’s chief elections officer, was sued by challengers who wanted her to pull the measure off the ballot. Wyman said no…

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Top 2 upheld in court: voters win

Top 2 upheld in court: voters win

Washington’s popular Top 2 Primary system has cleared its final legal hurdle. The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday that it will not hear the challenge by Washington Democrats and Libertarians on the Top 2. This apparently is the final word on litigation that has been under way since voters overwhelmingly approved the primary through an initiative in 2004. Go here to view the cases that the Supreme Court is refusing to hear. (The Top 2 appeal case is found on…

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Judge: Voters’ Pamphlet language on I-1185 can stay

Judge: Voters’ Pamphlet language on I-1185 can stay

No changes will need to be made to the Initiative 1185 language in the upcoming state Voters’ Pamphlet for this fall’s General Election after a judge Friday morning dismissed a lawsuit brought by I-1185 sponsor Tim Eyman. Thurston County Superior Court Judge James Dixon denied Eyman’s challenge to the Office of Financial Management’s fiscal impact statement on I-1185 and his attempt to prohibit the Office of Secretary of State from publishing it in the Voters’ Pamphlet.  Judge Dixon denied Eyman’s…

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Lincoln’s impact on Washington Territory

Lincoln’s impact on Washington Territory

He never stepped foot here, but Abraham Lincoln had a strong influence on Washington Territory when he was U.S. President, according to state Supreme Court Justice Gerry Alexander. The longtime jurist discussed Lincoln’s impact on our territorial days during a 45-minute presentation in Secretary Reed’s office Thursday. The speech was covered by TVW. Justice Alexander shared many interesting stories and facts. Among them: • Lincoln declined an appointment by President Taylor to be the governor of Oregon Territory. • Lincoln…

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Learning about Lincoln’s link to Washington

Learning about Lincoln’s link to Washington

With this year marking the 150th anniversary of the Civil War’s start, there has been plenty of attention given to the era of the “war between the states.” We all know about President Lincoln’s pivotal role in trying to reunite the nation during the war. But what was his influence on the recently created Washington Territory and the Pacific Northwest during that time? State Supreme Court Justice Gerry Alexander will shed light on that during a presentation on June 2…

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Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – The Final Chapter

Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – The Final Chapter

In 1910, Emma Smith DeVoe and May Arkwright Hutton led campaigns in Washington supporting the women’s suffrage amendment.  The ballot measure to amend Article VI of the Washington Constitution was on the 1910 General Election ballot and was passed by majority of 22,623, a favorable vote of nearly 2 to 1.  Washington State joined the western states of Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and Idaho, that had already enacted women’s suffrage.  Washington was the first state in the 20th century to pass…

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Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 11

Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 11

Image courtesy of Washington State Archives In 1889, Congress passed the Enabling Act, which “enabled” Washington to draft a state constitution and request admission to the Union.  During the Washington State Constitutional Convention, women petitioned the delegates to include women’s suffrage in the new state constitution.  The issue was presented to the voters as a separate amendment on the ballot.  In the ensuing vote, 16,527 voters voted to include the amendment granting women the right to vote, but 34,613 voted…

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Come party like it’s 1910!

Come party like it’s 1910!

Mark your calendars for November 7 and 8 for two events commemorating the 100th anniversary of the vote to amend the Washington Constitution for women’s right to vote in the state as part of a Day of Jubilation.  The American Association of University Women is sponsoring a Women’s Suffrage Pink Tea at the State Capital Museum in Olympia  on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Visit this website for more details! The Office of the Secretary of State, the WSHS/Women’s…

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Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 7

Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 7

My post is full of all kinds of drama and excitement today!  I have some good news, and then I have some bad news, but I’m going to end my post with some really great news.    The good news: on November 11, 1881, the Washington Territorial House of Representatives passed House Bill 103, a women’s suffrage bill by a vote of 13 to 11.  The bad news is that the measure was voted down by the Territorial Council, five to…

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