US: Supreme Court To Hear Referendum 71 Signature Case, Likely in April

The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether the names of Washington voters who sign a petition to put a law on the ballot can be made public. The high court could hear the case of Doe v. Reed as early as April, taking up the fight over the names and addresses of people who signed petitions to put Referendum 71 on last year’s November ballot. That referendum sought to overturn expanded rights for same-sex and elderly heterosexual couples. Supporters of gay rights filed a public records request for the names of everyone who signed the petitions; referendum sponsors objected, saying they feared the signers would be harassed. A few hours after the nation’s high court announced it was adding the case to its schedule, a state legislative committee considered dueling bills spawned by the dispute. One would provide an exemption to the state’s Public Records Act for the names and addresses on initiative or referendum petitions; the other would state categorically that they are public records. Full Story from the Spokesman-Review

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US: Referendum 71 Signature Case Decision Due by Mid January

John Doe vs. Sam Reed could well determine once and for all whether Washington's Public Records Act, which seeks transparency of all government records, violates the First Amendment rights of voters who sign ballot petitions. The high court will decide at a Jan. 15 meeting whether to accept or reject the case and then announce later that day — or the following Monday, Jan. 18 — if it will hear arguments. If justices take the case, attorneys representing the state and Protect Marriage Washington, which brought the original lawsuit, will likely argue before the court in April, with a decision likely by the end of June. If the Supreme Court decides not to hear it, a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision allowing release of the names will take effect, according to the Secretary of State's Office. Full Story from the Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010627697_supremecourt30m.html

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WA: Seattle Lawmaker to Introduce Public Record Bill for Referendum Signatures

A Democratic state lawmaker from Seattle plans to pre-file a bill Monday for the 2010 legislative session that would clarify that signatures, names and addresses of people who sign initiatives and referendums are part of the public record. The issue of releasing names of people who sign referendums and initiatives surfaced earlier this year in the fight over the new "everything but marriage" law that expands rights for gay domestic partners in Washington state. "I'm not sure how our state action might impact things," Rep. Reuven Carlyle said in an e-mail. "But I feel it's a vital piece of democracy to take a stand in favor of openness, transparency and access. One would assume a state Legislature's view on an issue holds some consideration for the courts." Conservative groups circulated petitions to get a measure on last month's ballot that attempted to block the new law. However the state's voters upheld the new law through Referendum 71. Full Story from Seattle PI: http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/187330.asp?from=blog_last3

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AP Calls Referendum 71 in Washington for Domestic Partnership Supporters

Washington voters have approved the state's new "everything but marriage" law, expanding rights for domestic partners and marking the first time any state's voters have approved a gay equality measure at the ballot box. With about 72 percent of the expected vote counted Thursday in unofficial returns, Referendum 71 was leading 52 percent to 48 percent, with a margin of about 60,000 votes. Sen. Ed Murray, a Seattle Democrat who spearheaded the law, called it "a great step forward for equality in Washington state." Full Story from AP: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hlGpneLaOG2koLv6cpbAJoCwS6jQD9BPNSL00

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Referendum 71 in Washington Continues Slim Lead

When Referendum 71 qualified for the ballot a few months ago, it made gay and lesbian couples uneasy. The ballot measure was going to allow voters to decide whether same-sex partners would get many of the same rights as married couples. Post-election ballot tallies were putting their fears to rest, with their cause holding a slim but steady statewide edge on Wednesday. “This is a historic vote,” said Joshua Friedes, campaign manager for Approve 71. “It is the first time that any state has affirmatively voted to protect gay and lesbian families with a system of comprehensive legal protections.” Full Story from HeraldNet: http://heraldnet.com/article/20091105/NEWS01/711059859

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.

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Update on the Referendum 71 Fight in Washington State

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in Washington state are facing a crucial vote. Voters are choosing whether to approve or reject SB 5688--a domestic partnership expansion bill passed earlier this year by the state legislature and signed into law by the governor in May. The law would grant the rights of civil marriage in Washington state--like sharing health benefits and death benefits, and hospital visitation rights--to same-sex couples and heterosexual partners where at least one of the two people is over the age of 62, without calling it "marriage." Everyone registered to vote in Washington state should vote to approve Referendum 71 and protect the rights of LGBT couples and seniors. This "Everything but Marriage" law--as it is referred to by its supporters--is the culmination of a strategy of working toward marriage equality by first creating the domestic partnership category for same-sex couples, and then adding more and more rights until domestic partners have the same state-granted rights as married couples do, just without the name. Full Story from SocialistWorker.org: http://socialistworker.org/2009/10/26/fight-for-referendum-71

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.

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Gay Rights Opponents Ask US Supreme Court to Block Referendum 71 Signature Release

That's the latest last evening from Gary Randall, leader of the Faith & Freedom Network who also is a leader in the Protect Marriage Washington campaign. The gay rights opponents want the U.S. Supreme Court to step in after the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday ordered the Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed to release the signatures and names of Referendum 71 signers. A Seattle man who supports the domestic-partnership rights of R-71 wants to publish the names on a website, whosigned.com. The R-71 campaign says it does not condone that action, and Reed’s office has said the same; but state elections officials contend the signatures petitions are public records and have been treated as such for several years. Full Story from The Olympian: http://www.theolympian.com/politicsblog/story/1005609.html

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.

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Washington Domestic Partnership Opponents Register New PAC to Funnel Money Into State

The scenario that gay-rights advocates had feared may be coming true. Vote Reject R-71, a political action committee, registered with the state's Public Disclosure Commission yesterday to campaign against Referendum 71, thereby attempting to repeal the state's domestic-partnership law. Dave Mortenson, a conservative campaign consultant who filed the PAC, says, "A bunch of individuals contacted me to see if we could raise some money really quick." He says, "I am not going to share who I’ve been talking to, but if we do get the money, we will report it." Are these religious groups, corporations, wealthy donors? "We are working them all," says Mortenson. Full Story from The Stranger: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/10/09/new-pac-plans-major-funrdraising-to-reject-r-71

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.

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Bellingham, WA City Council Considering Support for Domestic Partner Law

The Bellingham City Council is looking to take a position on two state ballot measures, but first, council members will hear what you have to say about it. ... The other measure, Referendum 71, asks voters whether to approve the "Everything but Marriage" law for domestic partnerships for gay and lesbian couples. The council is considering opposing the Eyman initiative and supporting the “Everything but Marriage” proposal.  Public hearings on the council measures are scheduled for next Monday at 7 p.m. at City Hall. Full Story from KGMI.com: http://kgmi.com/City-Council-Could-Take-Sides-On-Two-State-Measure/5379186

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.

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Anti Gay Marriage Group in Washington Uses Divorced Family in Flyer Campaign

Floating on a lurid sea of male symbols pornographically piercing female symbols is a picture of the Nelson family of Ozzie and Harriet fame. This is a new leaflet from the opponents of domestic partnerships in Washington state. The page title reads "There is something very good in this picture", with arrows drawn to "Dad" and "Mom". The following is written on the bottom of the last page of the leaflet: On the cover is a photo of the most traditional American Families [sic] from the 1950's television series, Ozzie & Harriet. David and Ricky Nelson really had it pretty good. They had a normal mother and father and grandparents. We simply want this for tomorrow's children and families. Indeed they made a beautiful family, and for all I know were blissful together. But that didn't result in sons David and Ricky Nelson growing up to be good fathers or husbands. Ricky's wife Kristin gave birth 6 months after their wedding. After making 3 more children, they divorced. Full Story from Pam's House Blend: http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/13107/referendum-71-opponents-use-divorcees-as-poster-children

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Court to Expedite Referendum 71 Signature Privacy Case

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals agreed today to expedite a case about releasing the names and addresses of everyone who signed Referendum 71. A three-judge panel will hear oral arguments on October 14 in Pasadena, California. Each side will have 15 minutes to present their case. By signing R-71 petitions, voters indicated that a law to extend the state-granted rights of marriage to same-sex partners should be put on the ballot, ultimately in an attempt to repeal them. But in a bizarre twist of hypocrisy, anti-gay Protect Marriage Washington now claims that the signers are a minority—because they were trying to limit rights of a minority, you see—at risk of harm if their identities are released. Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna doesn't buy the claim—arguing the state's open-government laws trump fears of people who put their name on a public document—and attorneys from his office will argue before the federal court. The Washington Coalition for Open Government, a nonprofit run by former state representative Toby Nixon, is also arguing to release the names of R-71 signers. Full Story from The Stranger: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/09/22/court-fast-tacks-r-71-case

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New Washington State Poll: 51% Would Keep Domestic Partner Law, 44% Would Repeal It

A poll released on Tuesday showed that the vote in Washington on Referendum 71, the measure to approve the state’s domestic partnership law, is going to be extremely close, with a narrow margin of respondents saying they would pass the measure. The poll by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research asked 569 likely voters in the November election if they would approve or reject Referendum 71. According to The Stranger, 51% of respondents said they would approve it, 44% said they would reject it, and 5% were undecided. The tight margin could reflect the more conservative turnout of an off-year election, the specificity of the ballot language, or effective rhetoric from Referendum 71 opponents. Full Story from The Advocate: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2009/09/23/Poll__Referendum_71_Vote_Will_Be_Close/

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.

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