Kitsap Sun
The voters’ right to initiative and referendum was an amendment to the Washington State Constitution and was initially referred by the Legislature to the people. The measure appeared on the ballot on Nov. 5, 1912 and amended Article II, Section I. It was approved by over 71 percent of the voters. The importance of the voters’ ability to address issues directly through the initiative and referendum process has only grown in importance since that time over a century ago.
Next month Initiative 517 will be on the ballot. It deals with several issues regarding the initiative process including signature gathering and the right of voters to cast a vote on an initiative which has met the required number of valid signatures gathered within the required time frame.
Chances are good if you attend any organized event in Bremerton in the coming weeks, you’ll see someone asking, “What the cluck?” or another chicken-related pun. That is one the strategies being employed in the bid to get a chicken decriminalization initiative on the November general election ballot. Supporters of the movement to allow up to four hens in Bremerton backyards were in view at the Armed Forces Parade on Saturday and planned to hit up commuters and outbound Mariner fans at the Bremerton ferry terminal on Wednesday.
A move to privatize liquor sales got no traction in the Legislature this year, but voters might get a chance to change the law on their own. State elections officials expect two initiatives related to liquor sales to be filed Friday, according to David Ammons, a spokesman in the Secretary of State’s office. The sponsors of the initiatives are not yet known. But a representative of a grocery industry group said Thursday that her organization has been contacted about a possible ballot measure to get liquor sales out of state hands and into private stores.