Hotline, web site

set up to protect petition backers

Concerned Washingtonians seek to

keep traditional definition of marriage

    OLYMPIA, Wash. — Concerned Washington residents — many of them representing churches and evangelical Christian groups — have until July 25 to gather enough signatures for a statewide vote this fall on a controversial measure they say pertains to marriage. A Christian legal rights agency has stepped forward to help protect supporters of the effort from any potential retaliation by opponents.
Last month the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) opened a free telephone hotline (1-800-655-6592) and web page (www.telladf.org/r71) for Washingtonians who believe they have credible reports of retaliation against them because of their support of Referendum 71. Referendum 71 is a citizen initiative that would allow voters to decide on a state Senate bill that, according to ADF, makes marriage and “registered domestic partnerships” effectively the same except in name. To make this November’s ballot, 120,577 valid signatures of registered voters must be secured by July 25. As of late June, 60,000 petition sheets had been distributed statewide.

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