Sponsors of Referendum 71, seeking a public vote this fall on the state’s new “everything but marriage” domestic partnership bill, plan to submit their petitions to the State Elections Division on Saturday afternoon.

The organizers, Protect Marriage Washington, have made arrangements to bring in boxloads of voter signatures at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Secretary of State’s Office in the Capitol.  It takes 120,573 valid signatures to earn a place on the Nov. 3 statewide ballot.  Election officials suggest a 25 percent pad, or roughly 150k,  to offset duplicate or invalid signatures.

If R-71 sponsors secure a ballot spot, they’ll be asking voters to reject Senate Bill 5688, the so-called “everything but marriage” law that passed earlier this year. The bill extends the rights and responsibilities now afforded to married couples to same-sex couples and to opposite-sex couples 62 or older who are signed up with the state domestic partnership registry. 

The measure would remain on hold until the voters speak.  The text is available online.

On the other side, a coalition called Washington Families Standing Together has been doing a “decline to sign” campaign and if the referendum goes to the ballot, they will be asking for an affirmative vote to uphold the action of the Legislature and governor.

At the moment, the only statewide measure certified to the ballot is Initiative 1033, Tim Eyman’s measure dealing capping growth in revenue for state, county and city general fund budgets. Excess revenue would be used for property tax relief.