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For the Washington folks out there
16 years ago
Hey guys, I promise I'll actually put up some new art soon, but in the meantime, here's something that's on my radar.
In three weeks, Washington State will vote on whether or not to keep their domestic partnership law. People opposed to granting same-sex couples legal protections filed Referendum 71 to try to repeal the existing law that recognizes domestic partnerships. The referendum was certified on Sept. 2, and ballots will be sent to voters by Oct. 16.
Voters in Washington have a history of supporting equality, but this isn't a presidential election year, so more conservative, older people are significantly more likely to come out and vote. Recent polls show that if the election were held today, only 51% of the likely voters in November would vote to approve Referendum 71 and allow Washington to keep same-sex domestic partnerships. Most people polled didn’t even know that Washington’s domestic partnership rights were being questioned. They also don’t know that they will need to vote "approve" to keep domestic partnerships legal.
If any of you live in Washington and are over 18, I encourage you to vote "approve" on Referendum 71. I went through a lot of talk about equality and fairness when I posted about Prop 8 last year (which had similar polling numbers...), but I think this is an even clearer-cut case. The word "marriage" isn't on the table here. It's not just a question of the principle of equality here -- these are the basic rights that allow people and their families to function. Even if you don't personally believe in same-sex marriage, surely we can agree that all committed couples and families deserve basic legal protection.
If you're not a Washingtonian, or not 18, you can still help by spreading the word! If everyone in Washington voted, this referendum would have no trouble passing -- don't let it fail because people just never heard about it.
Thanks a bunch for reading, guys, and for going out and voting! Art to come soon <3
In three weeks, Washington State will vote on whether or not to keep their domestic partnership law. People opposed to granting same-sex couples legal protections filed Referendum 71 to try to repeal the existing law that recognizes domestic partnerships. The referendum was certified on Sept. 2, and ballots will be sent to voters by Oct. 16.
Voters in Washington have a history of supporting equality, but this isn't a presidential election year, so more conservative, older people are significantly more likely to come out and vote. Recent polls show that if the election were held today, only 51% of the likely voters in November would vote to approve Referendum 71 and allow Washington to keep same-sex domestic partnerships. Most people polled didn’t even know that Washington’s domestic partnership rights were being questioned. They also don’t know that they will need to vote "approve" to keep domestic partnerships legal.
If any of you live in Washington and are over 18, I encourage you to vote "approve" on Referendum 71. I went through a lot of talk about equality and fairness when I posted about Prop 8 last year (which had similar polling numbers...), but I think this is an even clearer-cut case. The word "marriage" isn't on the table here. It's not just a question of the principle of equality here -- these are the basic rights that allow people and their families to function. Even if you don't personally believe in same-sex marriage, surely we can agree that all committed couples and families deserve basic legal protection.
If you're not a Washingtonian, or not 18, you can still help by spreading the word! If everyone in Washington voted, this referendum would have no trouble passing -- don't let it fail because people just never heard about it.
Thanks a bunch for reading, guys, and for going out and voting! Art to come soon <3
(can I come over some time?)
Jokes aside, if you wanna visit BC, you're more than welcome to :D
Here's hoping it doesn't turn out like Prop 8.
Prop 8 went through despite being unconstituional because the "Unconstitutional" ruling didn't become official until after Prop 8 was already on the ballot. It's now nearly a year later. What's their excuse THIS time?
But as for whether this is constitutional in Washington, I really don't know. I guess it would have to go to the state supreme court to be decided. I'm hoping that it won't have to, though, and that the Referendum will be passed at the ballot boxes and we can all just move on with our lives <3
Thanks for the heads-up^^~
Another friend seemed pretty positive on it also~
Although, either way it's nonsense. No longer can you hide behind the flimsy arguments like "You're redefining marriage!" or "We don't want our marriage to suffer." If you vote against domestic partnerships, you're simply a bigot.
Sadly, I can't offer a vote, being British and everything. Nor do I have much of Washington following. But this cause certainly has my support.
* Registered domestic partners added to all remaining areas of state law that previously applied only to married couples, including adoption, child support rights and obligations, pensions and other public employee benefits.
* Added the right to receive notifications and benefits allowance as partners of victims.
* Added business succession rights.
* Added legal process rights (the ability to sign certain documents, the requirement to join in certain petitions, rights to cause of action, and ability to transfer licenses without charge).
* Allowed domestic partners to use sick leave to care for a spouse.
* Granted to domestic partners the right to wages and benefits when a spouse is injured, and to unpaid wages upon death of spouse.
* Granted to domestic partners the right to unemployment and disability insurance benefits.
* Granted various other insurance rights, including rights under group policies, policy rights after death of spouse, conversion rights, and continuing coverage rights.
The pre-existing domestic partnership law granted the following rights:
* Hospital visitation rights
* The ability to authorize autopsies and organ donations
* Inheritance rights when there is no will.
* Gave domestic partners standing under laws covering probate and trusts, community property and guardianship.
* Granted opposite-gender seniors the right to register as domestic partners.
Now, Referendum 71 is a "veto referendum," in which a senate-passed law can be repealed by popular vote. None of the original domestic partnership rights are up for challenge by this referendum.
So basically, marriage is the only game in town unless A) at least one person in the relationship is over 62 years old, or B) it is a same-sex relationship, in which case you can file as a domestic partnership. But yes, if the opponents of SB 5688 get the law vetoed, then all the elderly straight folks living in domestic partnerships are going to lose a whole bunch of rights. The language of the bill does not specify straight or gay at all, so it would affect both equally.
It's all pretty tacky. Your support is appreciated, though <3
Feel free to do the same!
My husband's a Washingtonian but deployed in a different state or I'd have got him to vote.
Anyway, if you or your hubs knows of anybody else in the state that might want to know about this, pass the word along <3