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08/21/2009

Hey, what's the chance of Evergreen Staters voting on potential historical skidmark?

by Jeremy Hooper

Approve-71People have been asking about Washington, and what's happening with the attempt by some in that state to roll back a domestic partnership law. Well, here's what we know about the petition verification process:

The margin is narrowing, but the anti-equality side is still slightly ahead. As of yesterday, the state has accepted 77,637 signatures and rejected 10,554. There are around 49,498 sigs left to count/verify. Of those remaining, 42,940+ must be good (and by "good" we mean anti-fairness) in order for this question of equality to be put up to the whims of a majority vote.

So bottom line: It's going to be razor close! If the rate of non-verification keeps increasing (which is has been), then we have a shot. But if it stays the same (currently around 11.967%), then Team Anti-Equality will be one step closer to potentially hurting their gay neighbors (if reject rate remains below 12.428%, they'll qualify).

Or the real bottom line: When we LGBT folk have to fret over possibilities like this (and to do math before 9AM), we are still a LONG, LONG, LONG way from being free!


*The raw data: Verifying Signatures for Referendum 71 [WA Sec. of State]
(H/t: Dick Mills)

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Your thoughts

It's only logical that the rate of rejects will increase the more you count. The farther you go, the more potential duplicates you have to compare against.

Posted by: Jeff M | Aug 21, 2009 9:09:23 AM

Keeping my fingers tightly crossed- my sister is getting married next month (I will not call it a 'partnership' no matter what the law says). They will go through with the ceremony no matter what, but the last thing they need is this potential over their head.

Posted by: therealistmom | Aug 21, 2009 1:02:16 PM

Washington Families Standing Together (WAFST.org) is the group defending the domestic partnership law. They are leaving nothing to chance and have started to campaign as if the referendum has already qualified. Smart move, since WA is uses all-mail balloting system, and the ballots get mailed out mid-October. In other words, we can't afford to sit around wondering if R-71 will qualify, we have to act now as if it will. Please go to WAFST.org and see how you can help preserve the domestic partnership law in WA.

Vote "APPROVED" on Ref. 71 to preserve the domestic partnership law.

Posted by: Lurleen | Aug 24, 2009 2:38:25 PM

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