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[katmerlin]

Washington - Reminder: Voter Ballots need to be postmarked today.

Referendum 71 is pro gay rights. It was already passed by the legislature and so anti-gay groups petitioned to get it on the ballot to get voters to reject it. (Confusing at first to see anti groups attempting to get on the ballot something they are against. I'm pro gay rights and

Comments

[scholarjeff]

Referendum 71 effectively is the original domestic partnership bill (which is why a YES vote approves partnerships). The idea behind a referendum is that if a sufficient portion of the population feels strongly enough, the proposed law is voted on by the entire state, not just the legislature.

The anti-gay forces made it into a referendum to get the issue put up for a vote by the entire state, in hopes that they could convince enough people that it shouldn't be passed.