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Thursday, June 1, 2006

Does Eyman Have Enough Signatures for His Anti-Gay Referendum?

Posted by on June 1 at 18:02 PM

Looks like we many find out on Monday, one day before the signature-gathering deadline. Eyman just sent out an email saying that he’ll be dropping off a bunch of signed petitions at the Secretary of State’s office at 11 a.m. that day — although his email doesn’t specify the type of petitions he’ll be dropping off, or the number of signatures that will be on them.

I just called Eyman for some clarification, and he said: “I don’t have anything to add to the email.” Then he hung up on me.

For anyone who wants to try his or her hand at reading the tea-leaves in this cryptic Eyman email, it’s in the jump. My assumption is that Eyman’s talking about his Referendum 65, which would repeal this state’s new gay civil rights law and needs over 100,000 signatures to get on the ballot, but who knows…

To: All media outlets

From: Tim Eyman

RE: EYMAN, FAGANS BRINGING DOWN PETITIONS TO SECT'Y OF STATE, MON, 11 AM

We'll be bringing down petitions to the Secretary of State's 520 Union Building offices on Monday, June 5th at 11 am. They've told us that their main lobby is under construction and so we'll be using the east entrance (off Cherry Street).

Hope to see you there. My cell phone number is XXX-XXX-XXXX.

Regards,

Tim Eyman



CommentsRSS icon

It will be interesting to see how many signatures they got. I was at the Trader Joe's down in Burien last weekend, and some poor closet case was trying to collect signatures, but no one was interested. A little old lady told him that he should be ashamed of himself.

Time to kick some homophobe butt - my check will be in the mail on Tuesday to Washington Won't Discriminate - my vacation time helping the campaign.

Yes, this state can beat the right wing. History in the making - at our door.

Remember our side is YES - Approve 65. We want to keep the newly minted law.

Are you and every body you know registered? Go to it comrades.

Ummm, Jake, you have it backwards.

Keeping the new law == rejecting R.65.

No N, you have it backwards. Voting for R-65 will retain the law passed this year. Voting no will vote against it. Referendums are basically the public taking the same vote as the legislature.

It's confusing but some would say that part of Eyman's plan to get it passed was to confuse voters.

My understanding from another reporter is that it is R-65, and I would hazard the guess that he doesn't have enough signatures. Remember, he did the same thing with I-864.

It's most certainly R-65, because the deadline is the next day.

cuyahoga got it right: you would vote YES on R-65, but also want to DECLINE TO SIGN it.

THE FIRST TASK is to educate all we know that the pro gay side is APPROVE 65 - yes keep the law as passed.

A month aqgo, I was convinced to the contrary and argued with several people then called Olympia. Nice and patient lady at the Sec of State Office walked me thru the process several times.

THERE WILL BE MASS confusion. We want to vote against the homphobes and against Eyman, so our collective instinct is to VOTE NO ---- wrong.

Some major message work.

Seems like Seattleites are so eager for this referendum fight that they have overlooked the obvious possibility (and done next to nothing to advance it) that there are not enough signatures to put this referendum on the ballot. Do you ever get the feeling that this scenario--which would be a huge victory--would actually represent a big disappointment to the people who make a profession of swarming around campaigns like this?

The above post is simply not on target.

An early campaign has provided deflection to signature drives and public voice to support the new law.

Its steering committee is volunteer, and stafing for a real campaign has been minimal for about two months.

Just how do you tell church networks that they can't get a mere 100,000 signatures in four months? Networks involving hundreds of congregations statewide... What sublime process does the cynic poster above suggest is such a magic bullet? Decline to
Sign only works well in secular efforts where gatherers are visible and our side can offer counter messages.

Theere is no desore for this fight - but when the cards are on the table from the historic anti gay far righties in this state - Seattle will rise to grandeur with money, material and volunteers. You bet will will fight and fuel a victory.

Send a check, volunteer - join the effort that can win and send the religous right a defeat for a change.

By the way - as long as it has taken to put this law on the books, it has been no secret that in this initiative prone state we would have to defend it at the ballot. One and the same effort - no secret at all, just common political sense.

I just hope those steering committee volunteers have secured their consulting contracts and aided the fundraising of their non-profits with such high profile exposure ;-) Who wouldn't want to keep that going through November? Sounds like a career maker to me! And...if they lose, they can always offer gay rights in initiative form next election cycle :-)

ok, I'm confused already. I'm just going to vote no.

What ever happend to live and let live?? Must you try and dictate our peoples lives. Sounds like a Hitler move to me. Get off the bandwagon and tend to your own business!

Voting 'yes' would have passed it, revoking 2661 (which would have been sending a 'no' to Olympia). The wording of every part of the petition is very badly written, probably purposefully to Floridize the ballot. (just made up the word "Floridize"; like it?)

But you don't suppose that Eyman really cares... only $4000 was raised on this campaign; when running an initiative, he draws $3000 a week from the war chest. I'm sure he was happy to not have enough signatures so he could drop it like a hot potato. He's simply a very greedy man without any scruples; he'll run another sad campaign next year. Think he's forgotten how to make and repair watches? Anyhow, score one for the good guys.

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