R71 updates galore: Potential lawsuit, public records fight, new math …

There’s so much to update on Referendum 71. (R71, if it gets enough signatures to make the ballot, would put to vote whether the state-granted rights and responsibilities of marriage should be extended to domestic partners in Washington. A “yes” vote would affirm the Legislature-passed, Governor-signed bill to extend those rights.)

First, the math:
Last week, there was some confusion and discussion over the math used to calculate the error rate. Read about it here and here. Then there was more confusion over what signatures were counted in the count: Initially, the denied signature count included signatures that still needed to be verified.

The upshot: Yesterday, the Secretary of State’s office changed what numbers they’re reporting: Instead of a complete daily breakdown of yes, no and maybe signatures, they are now reporting only the yes signatures to avoid confusion. Make sense?

By that count, the error rate is 10.42 percent: The office says that’s too close to call.

Next up: The group supporting Referendum 71 wanted the Public Disclosure Commission to hold an emergency hearing over whether donors and signers of R71 petitions should be disclosed. The PDC responded that donors are public record, no special hearing would be held, and that they’d take the matter up at their next regularly scheduled meeting, on Aug. 27.

Finally, there may be a lawsuit in the works over the signature count, according to Brad Shannon. Read all about it here.

Tags: R71