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Tag: Referendum 71

R-71: Signature-count edges to finish line

R-71: Signature-count edges to finish line

State election crews were wrapping up final signature-checks for Referendum 71 Tuesday night, paving the way for Secretary of State Sam Reed to certify the measure to the statewide ballot on Wednesday morning. The referendum is sponsored by foes of the newly adopted “everything but marriage” expansion of state rights for domestic partners who are on the Secretary of State’s domestic partner registry created by the Legislature. Voters’ choice will be to approve or reject the new law, Senate Bill…

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UPDATE: R-71 headed to November statewide ballot

UPDATE: R-71 headed to November statewide ballot

Unofficial and incomplete figures from the state Elections Division shows Referendum 71 with sufficient signatures to make the Nov. 3 General Election ballot in Washington.  It could be the narrowest margin ever for qualifying for the ballot. Sponsors,  a campaign group called Protect Marriage Washington, submitted nearly 138,00o signatures on July 25, needing 120,577 to secure a ballot spot.  As of Monday evening, after all signatures were checked, state checkers accepted 121,617 signatures  — a pad of 1,040 signatures. That…

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Judge hears challenge of R-71 signature-checking

Judge hears challenge of R-71 signature-checking

King County Superior Court Judge Julie Spector has heard arguments in a court case challenging the state Election Division’s signature-checking for Referendum 71,  the attempt by foes of the state’s new “everything but marriage” law to force a public vote on the legislation in November. The judge took the case under advisement and said she will rule on Wednesday morning. That is the same time frame as Secretary of State Sam Reed’s for certifying R-71 to the ballot.  The Elections…

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R-71 qualifying for November statewide vote

R-71 qualifying for November statewide vote

With the Referendum 71 signature-check now nearly complete, state election officials say they’ve now confirmed that sponsors turned in more than the bare minimum needed for a spot on the November statewide ballot.   Signature-checkers passed the 121,000 mark on Monday,  the 23rd day of an exhaustive hand check of all 137,000-plus signatures submitted on July 25 by foes of a new “everything but marriage” domestic partnership law passed by the Legislature in April. It takes 120,577 valid Washington voter signatures…

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R-71 update: Friday night and nearly 131,000 sigs checked

R-71 update: Friday night and nearly 131,000 sigs checked

The latest signature update for Referendum 71 shows that virtually 130,000 signatures have been reviewed, with well over 114,000 of them being accepted.  About 4,300 signatures have been counted since Thursday’s update, bringing the cumulative total to 129,996 checked signatures. Of this total, 114,583 have been accepted and 15,413 have been rejected for one reason or another. The overall error rate is now 11.86 percent, a shade above the 11.81 percent reported Thursday. In order to make the November statewide…

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5 Questions about R-71: Suits and shifts

5 Questions about R-71: Suits and shifts

Friday greetings,  fervent check followers! We’re kick-starting your weekend discussions today in 5 Questions, where our team talks you through your R-71 check questions.  It’s all shifts and suits (though not the pinstripe kind) … Q) Why does the recent lawsuit say that the Secretary of State accepted signatures on petitions that were not certified by the petition circulator? One of the key points made in the lawsuit filed Thursday by Washington Families Standing Together against the Secretary of State is…

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5 Questions about the R-71 check: Still scratching your head?

5 Questions about the R-71 check: Still scratching your head?

Are you dreaming about signature checks yet? No?! Then get ready for our team to talk you through your R-71 signature check question in our daily “5 Questions” post. You’re scratching your head about the jumble of numbers and knowing what you’re voting for … but not for long … Q) When is the check going to end? It seems like it has been going on for a long time … A) The end is right around the corner! Our…

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R-71 update: 103,000 signatures approved

R-71 update: 103,000 signatures approved

The latest signature update for Referendum 71 shows that signature checkers have approved more than 103,000 signatures. Nearly 7,000 signatures have been counted since Tuesday’s update, bringing the cumulative total to 117,069 checked signatures. Of this total, 103,198 have been accepted and 13,871 have been rejected for one reason or another. The overall error rate is now 11.85 percent, just a little up from the 11.81 percent reported Tuesday. In order to make the November statewide ballot, the referendum’s overall…

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5 Questions about the R-71 check: What’s that you signed?

5 Questions about the R-71 check: What’s that you signed?

Good afternoon signature-check junkies! Our team is talking you through your R-71 check questions in our daily “5 Questions” post. You asked about dinging for dupes and signature sleuthing … and we say … Q) What’s the consequence for signing a petition multiple times? A) Most people who sign a petition more than once didn’t realize they have done so! Sometimes they don’t remember they had already signed the sheet, or get confused by the many petitions circulating around their town and…

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R-71 update: More than 110,000 names checked

R-71 update: More than 110,000 names checked

Exactly one month after the Referendum 71 petitions were delivered to the Office of Secretary of State, the latest update shows that signature checkers have reviewed over 110,000 signatures. More than 6,000 signatures have been counted since the Monday update, bringing the cumulative total to 110,288 checked signatures. Of this total, 97,261 have been accepted and 13,027 rejected for one reason or another. The overall error rate is now 11.81 percent, up slightly from the 11.72 percent reported Monday. The R-71…

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