State Feed: Washington

Washington: Ballot Challenge Certain for Gay Marriage Bill

AmandaKathryn — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:57:42 -0500

Washington state is likely to become the seventh state to legalize same-sex within the next two weeks, but opponents have already promised a ballot challenge would halt any summertime weddings.

As supporters celebrated the Senate’s 28-21 vote passing the measure on Wednesday night, a coalition of religious groups promised to start collecting referendum signatures as soon as the measure is signed into law. The bill still has to be approved by the House, but with the tougher hurdle of the Senate already cleared, that second vote is just a formality.

Washington: Marijuana Legalization on the November Ballot

AmandaKathryn — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:28:54 -0500

Efforts to legalize marijuana for recreational use are gaining momentum in Washington state and Colorado, despite fierce opposition from the federal government and a decades-long cultural battle over America’s most commonly used illicit drug.

Officials in Washington state on Friday said an initiative to legalize pot has enough signatures to qualify for the ballot in November. In Colorado, officials are likely this week to make a similar determination about an initiative there.

Supporters are prepared to possibly spend millions of dollars ahead of the November ballot, when they hope a strong voter turnout, particularly among youth, for the U.S. presidential election will aid their cause.

Washington: Lawmakers Move Ballot Initiative Reform Forward

AmandaKathryn — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:09:41 -0500

Washington state lawmakers forged ahead Monday with a bill to require ballot initiative campaigns to identify their top five donors in their advertisements.

The bill passed out of a House committee on a party-line vote, with seven Democrats in favor and four Republicans opposed.

Supporters of the legislation note that corporate spending on ballot initiatives has increased dramatically in recent years. They point to the $22 million that Costco Wholesale Corp. spent on last November’s successful initiative campaign to replace state-run liquor stores with large-scale privately owned ones. And they say the measure would make clear for voters where the money backing voter initiatives is coming from.

Washington: Effort To Repeal Gay Marriage Already Underway

AmandaKathryn — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:59:51 -0500

An effort that would effectively repeal a proposed gay marriage law in Washington state is underway before passage of the law, the AP reported.

Democratic Senator Ed Murray on Friday officially filed his bill which seeks to make Washington the seventh state in the nation to grant gay and lesbian couples the right to marry.

The state currently recognizes gay couples with domestic partnerships. A 2009 expansion of the law gave gay couples all the protections of marriage. A ballot initiative to repeal the law failed.

Washington: Tim Eyman Targets Red-Light Cameras with Statewide Initiative

AmandaKathryn — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:37:29 -0500

One day into the 2012 legislative session and initiatives already are rolling in.

Initiative entrepreneur Tim Eyman of Mukilteo may try to cash in this year on a growing public resentment of red light camera use in the state.

He’s submitted language for a ballot measure requiring every automated camera be removed unless, or until, voters approve its deployment.

Ballotpedia's Final Analysis on 2011 Statewide Ballot Measures Released

AmandaKathryn — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:36:18 -0500

Ballotpedia’s final analysis on donations to all 2011 statewide ballot measure campaigns has been released; the donations add up $85 million.

The report reveals some interesting information like the fact that the state with the highest contributions from all campaign sides from all ballot measures was in Ohio. The least amount of contributions was in Arkansas.

You can also find an overview of the contributions from supporters & opponents, a ranking of ballot measures from the most to the least contributions, and the ranking of political topic contributions where “labor” shows the most donations in Ohio on Issue 2.

Check out Ballotpedia’s analysis here.

Washington: Campaign-Finance Disclosures Rightly Upheld

AmandaKathryn — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:12:05 -0500

THE 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has made a good ruling in Family PAC v. McKenna, a case on Washington’s law of initiative and referendum. The ruling keeps our state’s strong rules for public disclosure of campaign finances.

The rule at issue is that anyone giving more than $25 to support or oppose a ballot measure must disclose his name and address, and if giving more than $100, occupation and employer.

Washington: Liquor initiative passed by voters, sued by unions

Trevor Ford — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:26:00 -0500

Two unions have filed a lawsuit in King County attempting to stop implementation of Initiative 1183, which voters approved in November and which would kick the state out of the liquor business. The unions represent nearly 1,000 workers expected to lose their jobs because of I-1183. The lawsuit claims the measure violates the single-subject rule, which requires that an initiative address just one issue.

Read the story from The Seattle Times

Washington: Liquor measure passes, toll measure defeated

Trevor Ford — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:34:10 -0500

Statewide ballot initiatives garnered the most attention in a campaign season dominated by local races. Costco-backed Initiative 1183, a ballot measure to loosen state liquor rules, passed Nov. 8, and liquor sales should start at the Issaquah-based warehouse giant and other retailers in June. Initiative 1125 — a measure to require the Legislature to approve tolls rather than the appointed state Transportation Commission — came up short on Election Day.

Read the story from the Issaquah Press

Washington: Liquor initiative raises questions

Trevor Ford — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:00:50 -0400

Initiative 1183, proposing to privatize the state liquor sales system, has created more questions than answers, according to local producers, retailers and consumers. The issue has created consternation, concern and debate. However, most professionals in the liquor business agree that the state should be out of the booze sales business and focus strictly on regulation.

Read the story from the Mercer Island Patch

Washington: Questions answered regarding liquor initiative

Trevor Ford — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:45:26 -0400

Readers sent questions Wednesday about a Costco-backed voter initiative on the November ballot that would privatize the state’s liquor business. Here’s an edited version of our question-and-answer session on Initiative 1183.

Read the story from The Seattle Times

WASHINGTON: Activist files suit against Redmond concerning traffic-enforcement cameras

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 06:15:55 -0400

State initiative advocate Tim Eyman wants a judge to decide the next step of Redmond’s first-ever, citizen-driven initiative concerning the city’s controversial traffic-enforcement program.

Eyman, a co-sponsor of the initiative, hired an attorney, who filed a lawsuit in King County Superior Court earlier today, ordering Redmond’s city clerk to forward the petition she received earlier this month to the county auditor.

Battleground Washington: Redmond Officials Refuse to Turn in Petitions, Residents Shocked

Staff — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:57:31 -0400

Officials in Redmond, Washington are determined to have their state live up to its recent designation as a “battleground state” in the fight against red light cameras.

The city is refusing to send petitions on to King county officials despite a state law requiring them to do so. According to the mayor:

We’ve been advised by our attorney that the subject of this petition is not subject to initiative. Therefore, there’s no state law compelling us to do anything with the signatures.

Washington a Battleground State in Red-Light Camera Fight

Staff — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:42:07 -0400

After a judge fined camera maker American Traffic Solutions $10,000 for bringing a frivolous lawsuit aimed at a suppressing voters in Bellingham, some state elected officials are speaking out. State Rep. Christopher Hurst, a former police officer who says the camera revenue has become “crack cocaine” for cities, told the Seattle Times:

Seattle voters say yes to $1.9-billion waterfront tunnel referendum

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 06:11:42 -0400

In a sharp blow to Mayor Mike McGinn — whose opposition to a tunnel through downtown became a centerpiece of his administration — Seattle voters gave a resounding “yes” to building the biggest deep-bore tunnel ever constructed to carry cars swiftly past the central city.

The nearly 60% yes vote on a referendum clears the way for groundbreaking on the $1.9-billion tunnel, part of a $3.1-billion project to get rid of the earthquake-prone, two-level viaduct that many see as an eyesore along the scenic waterfront.

BREAKING NEWS: Judge Dismisses Suit Against Bellingham, WA Red-Light Camera Vote

Staff — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:00:25 -0400

Earlier today I blogged about the fight over letting voters take red-light cameras to the ballot in Bellingham, Washington, as well as major votes by officials in Los Angeles and Houston. Now just moments ago from the BanCams Washington State Facebook Page came good news for initiative supporters:

Updated: Citizens Fighting Red-Light Cameras in Washington, California, and Texas | Officials 'Colluding' Against Citizens

Staff — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:34:50 -0400

Long-time Washington State initiative activist Tim Eyman has slammed Bellingham officials for signing away the city’s right to defend its voters agains traffic camera operators.

Eyman says the mayor, the city council and the company are “colluding” together to make sure that citizens don’t get a chance to vote on red light cameras. You can listen to the audio here.

Institute for Justice Lawsuit Targets Washington Recall Restrictions

Staff — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:43:49 -0400

Robin Farris had never been involved in politics before, but that changed when the retired Naval Officer saw news reports of wrongdoing and impropriety from the office of Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer Dale Washam. Dismayed and disgusted, Farris decided to start an effort to recall Washam, only to find that Washam’s fellow politicos in the state legislature had already been at work making sure that citizens had a hard time using the recall process.

Washington: Marijuana measure will be on city ballot

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:49:25 -0400

A proposed initiative that seeks to minimize enforcement of marijuana-related offenses in Tacoma has qualified for the city’s November ballot. Tacoma Initiative No. 1 today surpassed the required goal of 3,858 valid signatures from registered city voters, the Pierce County Auditor’s office confirmed. “The petition was determined to be sufficient with a total of 3,934 valid signatures verified,” Pierce County Elections Manager Michael Rooney wrote in an official letter of verification to City Clerk Doris Sorum.

Read the story from The News Tribune

Even Though He Can't Yet Vote, Teen Uses Initiative Against Red-Light Cameras

Staff — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:00:47 -0400

The Washington Post has an article today about a teenager in the Washington town of Longview who is, like many citizens across the country, sick of red-light cameras in his town. Though he’s not even old enough to vote, he’s discovered that the citizen initiative process can be a powerful tool: