Brad Shannon:
The Politics Blog

Brad Shannon maintains this blog. He is political editor at The Olympian and can be reached at 360-753-1688 or bshannon@theolympian.com.

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UPDATE II: Referendum 71 filing today to repeal new rights of same-sex partners

• Published May 04, 2009

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The second referendum of the season is on its way to the state Capitol.

Opponents of recognizing same-sex relationships plan to file a referendum today that repeals the latest addition of rights to the state domestic partners registry. Senate Bill 5688 substantially expands the registry to include all state rights accorded to married couples, and it passed in this year’s Legislature. The registry has more than 5,000 couples, most of them of the same sex and some heterosexual with at least one partner over the age of 59.

State elections spokesman David Ammons at the Office of the Secretary of State said this:

They will have until July 25 to gather 120,577 valid voter signatures to secure a place on the November 3 ballot. A yes vote on the referendum would be to sustain the Legislature; a no vote would overturn the law. The filing will temporarily suspend the new legislation, (Senate) Bill 5688, which was to take effect July 25, 90 days after adjournment of the Legislature. Governor Gregoire is expected to sign the measure soon.

The evangelical Faith and Freedom Network has said it will sponsor the measure, but it had not released details of its plan yet. UPDATE: Larry Stickney of the Washington Values Alliance actually did the filing.

This will be the second referendum filed in a week. John David Anderson filed Referendum 70 last week to repeal a law that puts Washington into a compact of states that bypass the Electoral College to allow election of the president by the national popular vote.

UPDATE: Democratic state Sen. Ed Murray of Seattle put out a statement today that said:

"I'm confident that Washington voters support gay and lesbian families who work hard, play by the rules, and pay taxes just like all other families. People are coming to a growing understanding that gay and lesbian people are their neighbors, their sibilings, their cousins and nieces and nephews. In our communties, they’re our teachers, doctors, police officers, and firefighters. In Washington, we value fairness. While it’s regretable that a referendum is being filed to undo the progress we made this session to treat gay and lesbian families the same as married families, I don’t believe that voters will decide in November to take away rights from anyone."

No word yet from proponents, but ~~my reporting partner Adam Wilson~~ The Associated Press is doing a story for tomorrow's print paper that should include those details.

UPDATE: State elections officials are giving the measure the name Referendum 71.