A sampler of Washington state’s use of the initiative:

Income tax: Voters approved a state income tax back in 1932, during the Great Depression when few had income to tax. The state Supreme Court threw out the plan and all later ballot attempts were roundly defeated.

Tabs and taxes: Tim Eyman got on the map as a tax rebel by sponsoring $30 car tabs and property tax limits. Voters also exempted their groceries from taxation and made it harder for lawmakers to raise taxes. The state inheritance tax was abolished and I-601 “put state government on a diet” by limiting spending growth.

Social issues: Washington had the country’s first voter-approved abortion rights plan and later enshrined Roe v. Wade into state law and rebuffed efforts to limit so-called partial birth abortion and public funding of abortion. Affirmative action in government hiring, contracting and college admission was tossed out. Medical use of marijuana for some patients was approved, but assisted suicide was rejected. An anti-discrimination bill for gays and lesbians was turned down.

Education: Voters ordered more spending for teacher pay and class size-reduction but twice rejected charter schools.

Transportation: Voters approved a no-new-tax plan to fix transportation needs but rejected a 9-cent gas tax plan later.

Redistricting: Voters approved some plans and rejected others as citizen groups sought to overturn the Legislature’s drawing of congressional and legislative district lines.

Game: The Department of Game was created in 1932, and the control of the fish and game agency was turned over to a citizen commission in 1995. Most trapping was outlawed by a 2000 initiative, and bear-baiting was outlawed in 1996.

Term limits: Voters rejected a plan to limit legislators, members of Congress and the governor in 1991 but approved the idea one year later. The courts threw out the legislation.

Crime: Ballot measures reimposed the death penalty for aggravated capital offenses, adopted tougher penalties for chronic felons, and cracked down on pornography.

This and that: Initiatives brought us daylight-saving time, colored margarine, a Seattle Seahawks stadium, liquor by the drink, veterans’ bonuses, shopping on Sunday, authorization for “denturists” to make and fit choppers and the guarantee of an annual increase in the minimum wage. Public officials’ salaries were rolled back in 1972 and ergonomic workplace rules were repealed in 2003.