legal challenges
The voters’ right to initiative and referendum was an amendment to the Washington State Constitution and was initially referred by the Legislature to the people. The measure appeared on the ballot on Nov. 5, 1912 and amended Article II, Section I. It was approved by over 71 percent of the voters. The importance of the voters’ ability to address issues directly through the initiative and referendum process has only grown in importance since that time over a century ago.
Next month Initiative 517 will be on the ballot. It deals with several issues regarding the initiative process including signature gathering and the right of voters to cast a vote on an initiative which has met the required number of valid signatures gathered within the required time frame.
Washington State initiative promoter Tim Eyman doesn’t see eye-to-eye with the political Left on most issues, but, as a proponent of voting rights for people of every political persuasion, he is standing up for the right of a progressive group to place an issue on the ballot in Spokane.