Slog
News & ArtsTuesday, June 12, 2012
Gay Marriage Pull Out Your Wallets: We're Officially Voting on Gay Marriage
Posted by Dominic Holden on Tue, Jun 12, 2012 at 3:53 PM
This e-mail just arrived from the Washington Secretary of State's office:
R-74 qualified after the signature-verification check was completed early Tuesday afternoon and then certified, clearing its way onto the ballot. Since the 247,331 signatures turned in by the sponsors were far more than the minimum of 120,577 valid signatures from registered Washington voters needed to make the ballot, a 3 percent sample check was conducted. Of the 7,561 signatures that were sampled during the check, 6,877 were accepted and the rest were rejected because the signer is not registered to vote, the signature on the petition did not match the signature on the voter registration record, or the voter signed the petition more than once.
The National Organization for Marriage is going to portray getting R-74 on the ballot as evidence, in itself, that voters here oppose gay marriage. Then they'll spend millions, along with allies, to scare moderate, non-bigoted voters into fearing gay marriage, if history of NOM's behavior in other states serves as a guide. And they will do everything possible to persuade voters to reject R-74.
But for right now, support is on marriage equality's side. A poll late last month by Strategies 630 found that 54 percent of voters support same-sex marriage; they don't want to overturn the marriage law passed by the legislature in February.
Still, that's a narrow margin. The scare tactics of NOM cannot be underestimated. In Maine in 2009, marriage equality was ahead in the polls until almost the very end when the NOM Fear Machine went into overdrive. NOM has never, ever lost at the ballot.
R-74 is ours to lose, unless we play the fucking political game. And the fucking political game costs a fucking lot of fucking money.
1
Here at my desk I just pulled out my coin purse and my coworkers are looking at me quite askance. What now?
3
Maybe you guys should organize a big Slog donation campaign. Send in a receipt for your donation, get an eye-watering rainbow backdrop for your comments.
4
@3 - Splendid idea. Some of us are planning a subversive, unofficial Slog Happy next month. We may be able to work a modest donation drive into it.
5
you know i dont want it to loose but I would love to hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth if it does. maybe we could get some of you fags to commit suicide as well.
7
Playing the game means bringing in ideas that have nothing to do with marriage: children, education, safety, freedom, etc. "Approve R-74 to protect your religious freedoms" should be a pitch line. "Approve R-74 to protect Children from sexual Predators" should be a pitch line. "Approve R-74 to protect traditional Marriage" should be a pitch line. But alas, I feel it's going to be about "Can't we all be treated Equally". That probably won't change any hearts nor minds. Just my thoughts.
8
@ 7,
Yes, thank you. The only message should be "Protect Marriage: Approve 74."
Voters who don't actively despise us take their voting cues from easy-to-remember catch phrases, and they couldn't give a shit about equality.
Yes, thank you. The only message should be "Protect Marriage: Approve 74."
Voters who don't actively despise us take their voting cues from easy-to-remember catch phrases, and they couldn't give a shit about equality.
9
@7 I think we should scare the anti-gay side into voting to support 74.
The ads on TV should have a James Earl Jones voiceover saying "Vote yes on 74 so that gay men can marry each other, unless you want them to MARRY YOUR DAUGHTERS!" while the screen shows tightly cropped black-and-white photographs of Josh Weed, Ted Haggard, and Larry Craig.
The ads on TV should have a James Earl Jones voiceover saying "Vote yes on 74 so that gay men can marry each other, unless you want them to MARRY YOUR DAUGHTERS!" while the screen shows tightly cropped black-and-white photographs of Josh Weed, Ted Haggard, and Larry Craig.
10
Many of those who attended the ERW Gala on Saturday pledged to get out there and raise at least $1,000 to help the Washington United for Marriage campaign.
Game on. I'll do it. Easy.
Anyone else here willing to commit to raising that?
Let's get this going!
Game on. I'll do it. Easy.
Anyone else here willing to commit to raising that?
Let's get this going!
11
Doing my part: "Savage Love Live" is sold out, raising 14K+ for Washington United tomorrow night.
12
#9 you already show a great lack of understand about what is going on, really shame on you you big old swishy thyang you. It's "APPROVE" or "REJECT" not vote "Yes" or "No". Now go back into the high light dressing room of yours and adjust that Wig and REDO that make up. Honestly sister you look a fright.
14
I'll get some Utah people to donate. I know a few Mo's who are feeling guilty and resentful over their church's part in Prop 8 in California and would love an opportunity for some redemption.
15
As a former closety Republican, I'm usually disheartened to see the pro-gay side either rest on its laurels or "trust" that the average voter will see the light and vote for equality when these issues come up for a vote. Conservatives usually pummel voters and hijack the conversation—and us gays always seemed flummoxed that it would go down like that each and every time.
However I'm really excited about Washington United for Marriage. It looks like a good, savvy team that keep lessons of the past in mind and act really strategically. Helps that cultural winds of change are behind their backs as well.
However I'm really excited about Washington United for Marriage. It looks like a good, savvy team that keep lessons of the past in mind and act really strategically. Helps that cultural winds of change are behind their backs as well.
17
This goes back to a question I posted in another SLOG thread which was not thoroughly hashed out. I, a Washington native who is in Ohio for graduate school, is still legally entitled to vote in Washington state. Do I:
a) Continue with my voting status as it is and support Marriage (My) Equality
or
b) Switch my status and vote for Barak Obama here?
Dilemma....Being a selfish Pacific Northwesterner, I lean towards retaining my WA status. Perhaps this is a Questionland worthy question...
a) Continue with my voting status as it is and support Marriage (My) Equality
or
b) Switch my status and vote for Barak Obama here?
Dilemma....Being a selfish Pacific Northwesterner, I lean towards retaining my WA status. Perhaps this is a Questionland worthy question...
19
@7 and @savage: where oh where is any research from Washingtons United or anyone else on what framing/messaging is actually going to carry the day? If you're going to play the political game, you need to do the homework so that you know that 54% in favor will grow to 60% or more. Who has done that homework? Who knows what message to send to what audiences (and how to reach them) to change more minds and get more votes for R-74? Without that clear focus, it's the no on prop 8 campaign all over again.
20
@19, good questions. Also, it would be helpful to publish a list of quick, easy-to-remember answers to those stupid things the haters always say. Like "God didn't create Adam and Steve." Well, yes actually, he did. Or, with any Biblical sort of comment, just answer that it is a good thing there is a separation of Church and State in this country.
21
My excuse is I live outside of Washington so I won't actually be voting on 74. For what it's worth, I already donated a couple months ago. (but since then I've run out of money, so no more out-of-state cash from me)
23
While I would love to say that throwing money at Washington United for Marriage is going to really make things happen, I would also suggest getting involved wherever you can. It's not that I don't trust the team that has been put together to run this campaign - they have some real great individuals - but...well...I'll just leave it at that.
Give them money, sure, but also make sure they're not doing stupid, self-serving shit with it.
Give them money, sure, but also make sure they're not doing stupid, self-serving shit with it.
24
@20, @23, here's one potential frame which everyone could get involved in: "R74 is about your neighbors". Imagine a campaign structured around making sure every neighborhood in every major city in the state had a personal testimonial from a long term same-sex couple describing the issues they face and the ways in which legalized marriage will help. Then run those testimonials in ads targeted directly at that neighborhood. Maybe a great idea, maybe a dumb idea, but I would sure love to hear from a professional who has thought this through and figured out the winning strategy to get another 5 or 10 points in support of marriage equality.
25
in a completely different direction, another frame might be "R74 is about liberty" and have a discussion around getting the government out of our bedrooms. maybe that's a more effective way to get the next 10 points of support, maybe it's not...where's the research?
27
I suspect a solid majority of Washington voters at this point find the scare tactics shrill and offensive. What strikes me as the more dangerous argument coming from the reject R-74 people is that domestic partnerships are already legally the same as marriage in Washington, therefore additional legislation is unnecessary. That's an argument aimed at the people with soft support of marriage equality, it allows people to be a little bit bigoted without thinking they're being bigots, and it's harder to educate against.
28
A fine point, and eminently testable. so who is doing the research/focus groups to find out if that's the issue and if so, what types of messages can be used to counter? I would love to see a sign of strategy from Washington United...
30
I'd sure like to see something more out of WA United for Marriage as well. Besides asking me for more money. They do have a very short "Talking Points."
I saw a comment in another story here where someone suggested something like "Say I DO to Ref 74." I think that helps with the confusion people are having over the anti group got the referendum on the ballot so it must be against SSM.
I saw a comment in another story here where someone suggested something like "Say I DO to Ref 74." I think that helps with the confusion people are having over the anti group got the referendum on the ballot so it must be against SSM.
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