Could affirmative action initiative be headed to November ballot?
Apr 30, 2019, 10:08 AM
The affirmative action debate rages on. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
(Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Following the passage of I-1000 — an initiative lifting Washington’s ban on affirmative action — a push to instead send the measure to the ballot has ensued.
RELATED: Does affirmative action have a place in Washington state?
Because it was an initiative, lawmakers could have initially sent it to the ballot for a popular vote. With approval in both the House and Senate, though, I-1000 is now ticketed for the office of the Secretary of State for full implementation.
The bill was passed by the state at the close of the legislative session, getting through the Senate by a 26-22 vote, and the House by a 56-42 vote.
I-1000 had the support of all three living former Washington governors (as well as current governor Jay Inslee). All but two Democrats combined between the House and Senate voted to pass it. No Republicans voted in favor.
According to The Seattle Times, 49-year-old Bellevue resident Kan Qiu filed a referendum shortly after the passage of the initiative, hoping to redirect the measure to a public vote.
Qiu — a member of the WA Asians for Equality advocacy group — labeled I-1000 as “divisive.” His referendum needs just under 130,000 valid, non-duplicated signatures by July 27 to send the measure to the ballot for the Nov. 7 general election.
This all comes after I-1000 gathered 400,000 signatures of its own in early-2019, a number the Times notes is more than any other initiative previously sent to the Legislature.
In practice, it allows recruitment goals for minorities in state jobs, education, and contracting.
Race, gender, sex, disability, ethnicity, national origin, age, and honorably discharged veteran status could all be considered. But no single attribute could be the sole factor for a less qualified candidate. That would be considered preferential treatment, which would still be banned.
Advocates have argued that overturning the state’s ban on affirmative action is necessary for achieving true equality in Washington. Opponents like Qiu have labeled it as discriminatory, specifically against the state’s Asian population.
