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Tag: U.S. Constitution

1960 petition signature gatherers
Paid petition signature gathering in Washington: What’s legal and why

Paid petition signature gathering in Washington: What’s legal and why

A recent news report in the Everett Herald noted that June is a prime petition-gathering month for four statewide initiatives now in circulation. According to the story, workers collecting signatures to put a referendum on Seattle’s new job tax on the November ballot are being paid $6 per signature, and anyone who gets 75 or more signatures a day gets an entry in a drawing for a four-country trip to Europe. “Too good to be true? Or legal? Maybe,” the…

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It’s Constitution Day!

It’s Constitution Day!

(Photos courtesy of Washington State Archives) We bet most of you didn’t even know it existed. After all, it doesn’t receive nearly as much attention as Independence Day. There aren’t any retail sales that capitalize on it. Since it occurs when fall is knocking on the door, it doesn’t entice us to eat outside. But Sept. 17 is a very important date in American history. It’s the date when the United States Constitution was signed by 39 delegates to the…

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Bill of Rights Day

Bill of Rights Day

From the desk of Rand Simmons Vol. 1 no7 December 15, 2015 The Founding Fathers drafted the United States Constitution during the First Constitutional Convention, held from May through September 1787 in Philadelphia. The completed draft constitution, sent to the States for ratification in September 1787, did not include any mention of individual rights. The framers’ focus was largely on structuring a strong government, and getting that structure put into place. Without such a structure, the Founding Fathers feared the…

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Archives displaying state constitutions Sept. 19

Archives displaying state constitutions Sept. 19

We all know that July 4 is a VERY important date in American history since it’s our nation’s  birthday, and a great excuse for a summer barbecue and fireworks . But did you know that Sept. 17 also is a key date in history? On that date in 1787, the United States Constitution was signed by 39 delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia after a long, hot summer spent proposing, debating, refining and finalizing what is our nation’s most…

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When voting age was lowered to 18

When voting age was lowered to 18

Two of Secretary Reed’s passions – history and voting – literally came together in his office Monday as he reminisced with other key players in Washington’s role to allow 18-year-olds to vote. Reed joined former Gov. Mike Lowry, Ian McGowan, Mark Brown and Wendy Bowen in a roundtable discussion in the Secretary’s office to relive memories of their successful effort to persuade the state Legislature in 1971 to ratify the U.S. Constitution’s 26th Amendment, which lowered the voting age from…

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Happy birthday to U.S. Constitution

Happy birthday to U.S. Constitution

Saturday marks the 224th anniversary of that historic day in 1787 when the United States Constitution was signed by 39 men in Philadelphia, although 55 delegates helped draft the document. The Constitutional Convention convened on May 14 that year. The delegates selected George Washington to preside over the convention. After the Constitution was signed, it was sent to the states, with each holding a ratifying convention. Nine states had to ratify the Constitution to activate it. Delaware was the first,…

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