An update on R-71: Error rate is higher, signatures should be counted within 10 days

In a week to 10 days, we will finally know whether Referendum 71, which would put the domestic partnership expansion bill passed by the Legislature to a vote, will make the ballot this fall.

For now, the Secretary of State’s Office is checking every single one of the 138,000-some signatures submitted by petitioners. And what we know is that the numbers are close: Of the nearly 29,940 signatures verified so far, 25,883 have been accepted. That means about 13.55 percent of the signatures do not count, either because the name doesn’t match someone on Washington’s voter rolls, the signature doesn’t match, or there’s no signature on file with the state. (In those instances, the state is seeking signature verification from counties.)

R-71 needs 120,577 valid signatures to make the ballot. Stay tuned. There will be another update this afternoon.

Tags: R71