Referendum 71 Effective 3 December 2009

As posted to the Secretary of State's blog for this past Friday explains, the expanded domestic-partnership protections authorized by SB 6588 and affirmed by Referendum 71 will take effect early next month:

The referendum, placed on the ballot by foes of expanded rights for state-registered domestic partners, has been on hold since it was passed by the Legislature earlier this year. If the vote holds, Senate Bill 5688 will go into effect Dec. 3. The election returns will be certified by Secretary of State Sam Reed and Gov. Chris Gregoire, probably on Dec. 1, but under provisions of the Constitution, a bill referred to voters and approved takes effect 30 days after Election Day, or Dec. 3 in this case.

Information on domestic partnerships (including the relevant form) for senior and same-sex couples may be found at the Secretary of State's web site.

Governor's Statement on Referendum 71

Gov. Gregoire’s statement on passage of Referendum 71:

I am extremely pleased that voters have approved Referendum 71. I signed the original bill and believe it is the right policy for our great state. Washington state has a history of fighting to ensure everyone – mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters – enjoys equal rights. From the first bill I signed in 2007 to this new law, we have proudly made great strides on behalf of all Washington families.

A Big Leap Forward

The Oregonian had a lovely editorial today, parts of which are excerpted below. In it they note that an anti-discrimination measure failed 60/40 just twelve years ago, and affirmed the changes in public opinion noted earlier this year by academic researchers at The Washington Poll.

[T]he reality is, progress on gay rights has moved so quickly, over all, that the goal posts have shifted now -- and that's the nature of a civil rights struggle. It gathers momentum, sweeps people along with it, redefining fairness as it goes.

Twelve years ago -- just a blink in historical terms -- Washington voters said "no" to an anti-discrimination law. This week, it appears, they've reorganized the universe of state laws to ensure gay and lesbian families have parallel protections. This is part of an evolution so breathtaking, in truth, it qualifies as a revolution.

We are hurtling toward equality.

Read the entire piece at OregonLive.com.

The "Civil Marriage. Civil Rights" photo is by photographer Terence Heuston; Stylist/Art Director: Johnny Vo; Assistants: John Serge, Chris Hart, Casey Scott; Talent: Tinh Luong, Jennifer Christopher, Rawle Lewis, Brett Gipson. Inspired by an image created by Aaron Bonnell and Charlie Bachmann.

Washington Poised to Approve Domestic Partnership Law

With the majority of counties reporting, Washington state seems poised to approve Referendum 71, affirming the rights of senior and same-sex domestic partners. Official results for the state and and Clark County may be viewed at the Secretary of State's web site.

With King County trending two-to-one in favor of domestic partnerships and a large portion of the uncounted votes in King County, approval of Referendum 71 seems statistically likely, making Washington the first state in the union to affirm domestic partnership rights by popular vote. All credit goes to the fair-minded voters of Washington state, who stood up for their neighbors, seniors and all families.

In the years to come many people will lie about how they voted. Those who voted against will claim to have voted for this, just as many who opposed civil rights in earlier times claim now to have done otherwise. And those who did not vote at all will claim to have been supporters, who voted for justice.

Thank you, Clark County, for turning out. With a confusingly-worded ballot measure in an off-year election, you dramatically exceeded expectations. Those who did the right thing know who you are. May you be proud of the justice you hold in your heart.

There shall be a post-election wrap-up meeting to plan for the future this coming Saturday at 9 a.m. at Tommy O's Pacific Bistro, 801 Washington Street, Vancouver 98660.

Drop Off Ballots in Person by 8 Tonight!

At this point, ballots must be dropped off in person, either at the permanent red ballot box near west 14th and Esther streets, or at the locations noted below. If your ballot is missing or damged, a replacement ballot may be obtained only from the Elections Office at 1408 Franklin Street, Vancouver before 5 p.m.

All ballots are due by 8pm Tuesday, November 3, 2009.



Ballot drop-off locations in Clark County, Washington for November, 2009:

• Clark County Elections Office @ 1408 Franklin Street, Vancouver
• Battle Ground City Hall @ 109 SW 1st Street, Battle Ground
• Battle Ground High School @ 300 W Main Street, Battle Ground
• Burton Elementary School @ 14015 NE 28th Street, Vancouver

• Chinook Elementary School @ 1900 NW Bliss Road, Vancouver
• Crestline Elementary School @ 13003 SE 7th Street, Vancouver
• Dorothy Fox Elementary School @ 2623 NW Sierra Street, Camas
• Dorothy Fox Elementary School @ 2623 NW Sierra Street, Camas

• Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary School @ 2921 Falk Road, Vancouver
• Felida Elementary School @ 2700 NW 119th Street, Vancouver
• Fisher’s Landing Elementary School @ 3800 SE Hiddenbrook Drive, Vancouver
• Glenwood Heights Primary School @ 9716 NE 134th Street, Vancouver
• Grace Foursquare Gospel Church @ 717 SE Everett Road, Camas

• Hazel Dell Elementary School @ 511 NE Anderson Road, Vancouver
• Helen Baller Elementary School @ 1954 NE Garfield Street, Camas
• Hockinson Middle School @ 15916 NE 182nd Avenue, Brush Prairie
• Image Elementary School @ 4400 NE 122nd Avenue, Vancouver

• La Center Community Center @ 1000 E 4th Street, La Center
• Lieser Early Childhood Center @ 301 S Lieser Road, Vancouver
• Lincoln Elementary School @ 4200 Daniels Street, Vancouver
• M.L. King Elementary School @ 4801 Idaho Street, Vancouver
• Mill Plain Elementary School @ 400 SE 164th Avenue, Vancouver
• Minnehaha Elementary School @ 2800 NE 54th Street, Vancouver

• Pleasant Valley School @ 14320 NE 50th Avenue, Vancouver
• Prune Hill Elementary School @ 1601 NW Tidland Street, Camas
• Ridgefield Nazarene Church @ 747 Pioneer Avenue, Ridgefield
• Riverview Elementary School @ 12601 SE Riveridge Drive, Vancouver

• Salmon Creek Elementary School @ 1601 NE 129th Street, Vancouver
• Sarah J. Anderson Elementary School @ 2215 NE 104th Street, Vancouver
• Sifton Elementary School @ 7301 NE 137th Avenue, Vancouver
• Sunset Elementary School @ 9001 NE 95th Street, Vancouver

• Vancouver School of Arts and Academics @ 3101 Main Street, Vancouver
• Walnut Grove Elementary School @ 6103 NE 72nd Avenue, Vancouver
• Washougal Community Center @ 1681 C Street, Washougal
• Yacolt Primary School @ 406 W Yacolt Road, Yacolt

Although technically ballots postmarked before 8pm on November 3 should be accepted, physically dropping off your ballot is the surest way to be certain that it is properly counted.

The Only Poll That Counts is Tomorrow

Last week brought some hopeful news from The Washington Poll, as posted to their web site at WashingtonPoll.org

In a survey administered as part of a non-partisan, academic research project under Dr. Matt Barreto, a political science professor at with the Washington Institute for the Study of Ethnicity, Race & Sexuality (WISER) at the University of Washington. From October 14th to 26th, a total of 724 registered voters were interviewed from a randomly selected list phone numbers, yielding in a 3.6% margin of error. Among those who had already voted, 55% reportedly approving Referendum 71, compared with 45% against. Although heartening, these results absolutely do NOT guarantee a positive result for those who support civil rights, as the only poll that matters takes place in election offices across the state tomorrow evening.

Students of California's Proposition 8 last year may remember that they had good poll results as well, before a sudden influx of money from various right-wing churches and a bittersweet, hope-crushing defeat.

Please be certain that your ballot is properly marked, submitted and counted to approve Referendum 71.