Voters as Victims: A Right-Wing Sleight of Hand

The fight for marriage rights for gay couples will reach the United States Supreme Court in April 2010—sort of. The Court will hear arguments challenging Washington state’s Public Records Act, which was broadly approved by a voter initiative in 1972 as part of a campaign to increase transparency and openness in the state’s government and elections.

Hushed Money. Could Karl Rove’s new 527 avoid campaign-finance disclosure requirements?

If you thought things have gotten bad with campaign financing since the Supreme Court turned on the corporate money spigot in the Citizens United case, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

Snohomish and Thurston County hold Ref. 71 celebrations

Members of Snohomish County Gay Men’s Task Force (GMTF) and others gathered at the Snohomish County Courthouse in Everett on December 3 to thank all Washington State voters who helped approve Referendum 71.

Partners rejoice as ‘everything but marriage’ law takes effect

On Thursday, it will be 30 days since Election Day. Big deal, you say? It is a big deal.

Referendum 71 Approved by Washington Voters, making history for LGBT families

In just 6 short weeks the Approve 71 Campaign engaged Washington voters in a conversation that lead to the historic vote to approve Referendum 71 to keep the domestic partnership law, on November 3, 2009.

A coalition of over 500 organizations came together in one of Washington’s shortest elections ever. Over 200 hundred faith based communities stood up for Washington’s lesbian, gay, and senior families. Major employers like Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks, and Google sent a strong message that they value all their employees.

Voters Approve Referendum 71

Washington state voters have approved Referendum 71, keeping a law that expands state benefits for registered same-sex and some senior domestic partners.

The tally late Thursday afternoon saw the vote to approve R-71 leading about 52 percent to 48 percent.

Opponents of R-71 resort to distractions

OPPONENTS of Referendum 71 are using more arm waving and fancy footwork than an aerobics class. Groups working against a sensible expansion of Washington’s domestic-partnership law are desperate to change the subject. They are inventing distractions.

Federal judge denies Reject 71 campaign’s last minute attempt to gut state’s campaign finance disclosure law

The Approve 71 campaign today won an important victory in federal court when Federal District Court Judge Ronald Leighton turned down an effort by the Reject 71 campaign to eviscerate Washington’s voter-approved campaign finance laws.