Signature of registered voter is a coveted commodity
OLYMPIA — The signature of a registered voter will be one of the most sought-after political commodities in Washington in the next few weeks.
Those seeking to gather thousands of them for initiatives are going to pay a handsome sum to acquire them.
And, in one instance, even send someone to Europe for a four-country “trip of a lifetime.”
A chance to win such an excursion is an incentive reportedly offered to those getting people to sign petitions for a referendum on Seattle’s new job tax. At least 17,632 signatures of valid Seattle voters must be turned in by June 17 to get it on the November ballot.
A communique reputedly sent around in recent days declares one can earn $6 per referendum signature. And a person who collects at least 75 signatures a day — and turns them in each day — will receive a ticket in the drawing for the European trip.
Too good to be true? Or legal? Maybe. Even if it does cross the line, it is revealing of the demanding and competitive nature of the initiative and referendum season now peaking in Washington.
As of Wednesday, petitions for four statewide initiatives were getting circulated.
Sponsors of three proposals —the ones to impose a new fee on carbon emissions, to ban local taxes on soda and to make collective bargaining negotiations public — have until July 6 to turn in roughly 260,000 signatures of registered voters to qualify. The Secretary of State’s Office recommends filing at least 350,000 signatures to account for invalid ones.
The fourth — a $30 car tab measure pushed by Tim Eyman of Mukilteo — doesn’t face an immediate deadline as it is aiming for the 2019 ballot.
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