Washington's Referendum 71 narrowly headed to the ballot

    OLYMPIA, Wash. — A controversial measure that gets its primary support from concerned churches and evangelical Christian groups statewide is narrowly headed for Washington’s November ballot.
      But court fights over Referendum 71 are not only guaranteed, they have already begun.
       The secretary of state's office announced Sept. 1 that the required 120,577 signatures of registered voters had been validated, thus putting Referendum 71 on the ballot.
      The Legislature last spring expanded the state’s domestic partnership law, giving registered same-sex partners the same state benefits as married couples. Referendum 71 would let voters decide if the law stays in force.        

     Referendum 71 supporters say domestic partnerships are basically marriage by another name and that the expanded domestic partnership law will erode the state’s historic understanding and definition of marriage as uniting one man and one woman. Opponents of Referendum 71 say domestic partnerships are not equal to marriage.
     A homosexual rights advocacy group, Washington Families Standing Together, on Aug. 27 filed a lawsuit alleging Secretary of State Sam Reed has accepted thousands of invalid signatures, including from people not registered voters when they signed. Gary Randall of Faith and Freedom Network, a leader in the Referendum 71 effort, strongly disputed that.
        Also, Referendum 71 backers might be unable to prevent names and addresses of the measure’s donors from becoming public. Citing threats of violence against supporters and churches, they had asked such information be sealed. But a state panel said no. A judge will rule on the matter Sept. 3.