WA Election crews begin checking initiatives
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State election crews have begun checking on voter signatures submitted for four citizen initiatives. First up: Initiative 1433, a plan to boost the state minimum wage to $13.50 in stages and require employers to provide paid sick leave. The minimum wage currently is $9.47 and rises annually with the CPI under terms of an earlier voter-approved initiative.
Secretary of State Kim Wyman said Monday the I-1433 campaign submitted 345,907 signatures, nearly 100,000 more than the bare minimum needed to secure a place on the fall statewide ballot.
The office suggests that sponsors turn in at least 325,000 signatures, to cover duplicate and invalid signatures. Using computer-generated random sampling, crews will check 10,412 of the signatures. The process should wrap up later this week.
Next in line will be I-1491, dealing with gun restrictions under temporary “extreme risk protection orders.”
After that, crews will check I-1501, dealing with “protection of seniors and vulnerable individuals from financial crimes and victimization.”
And finally, I-1464 will be checked. This would create a state-funded campaign finance program.
Two other citizen-generated measures, Initiatives to the Legislature 732 (carbon taxes) and 735 (opposing Citizen United court decision), already have qualified for the fall ballot.
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Secretary of State
Steve Hobbs
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