Washington Families Standing Together announced Wednesday night that the group won’t appeal Tuesday’s ruling on Referendum 71 by Thurston County Superior Court Judge Thomas McPhee. (See The AP’s story.) That clears the way for a statewide vote on R-71 this November.

Now that R-71 is going on the General Election ballot after a close and lengthy signature check and three lawsuits, it’s important that you understand the choices that will appear on the ballot. (There has been some confusion out there about how to vote on R-71.) Your choice will be to “Approve” or “Reject” the domestic partnership legislation passed by the Legislature earlier this year.

• Voters who support the domestic partnership bill should vote “Approve”
• Voters who oppose the domestic partnership bill should vote “Reject”

Here is the exact text of the R-71 ballot title:        

Passed by the Legislature and Ordered Referred by Petition
Referendum Measure No. 71

The legislature passed Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5688 concerning rights and responsibilities of state-registered domestic partners and voters have filed a sufficient referendum petition on this bill. This bill would expand the rights, responsibilities, and obligations accorded state-registered same-sex and senior domestic partners to be equivalent to those of married spouses, except that a domestic partnership is not a marriage. Should this bill be:  

[  ] Approved
[  ] Rejected

We’re not telling you how to vote on R-71. How a person votes on the referendum is up to that voter. We just want to help clear up any confusion and help you understand your choice once you receive your Voters’ Pamphlet and ballot in the coming weeks.