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July 29, 2009 in City
Wash. gay partnership foes try to shield signers
OLYMPIA — State officials won’t resist a temporary restraining order that would block public release of petition signatures for a gay-partnership referendum.
The case centers on Referendum 71, which would ask voters to approve or reject expanded partnership rights for gay couples.
The names of everyone who signed R-71 petitions are publicly available under open-government laws.
A gay-rights group is planning to post all the names online, so partnership supporters can talk to those people about the referendum.
But the R-71 campaign says that could lead to harassment. So they’re asking a federal judge to keep the petitions secret, until they can make their argument in court.
Elections officials expect a full hearing on the merits of the complaint.
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ChefGus/ John Olsen on July 29 at 2:28 p.m.
THere is no basis for complaint. The law is clear that it is public information, and if one does not have the courage to sign and be known as a bigot, then they should not sign. John
sledmike on July 29 at 5:42 p.m.
John, I don’t think that you should go crashing into the left ditch accusing folks who sign the petition to be bigots…you might check a mirror yourself. Don’t assume you know what is in the hearts of people who are willing to accept your sexual designation as your choice but do not accept it as ‘normal’. That is their choice to decide what is normal and what is not. What the gay groups do want is to pick on little, elderly church ladies and scare them into not signing the petition. I, on the other hand, am a big boy and am not intimidated by the tactic. If you find my name on a petition, by all means give me a ring and we will discuss why I would sign the petition. Do remember, after all, that by merely signing the petition, someone does not express the opinion of support or not…only the wish to see it as an issue on the ballot. Take off the brown shirt John, chill out and tone down the hate-mongering. The little old ladies aren’t that big of a threat to you, tough guy.