Rantz: Democrats are trying to end voter-led initiatives in Washington. Will you stay silent?

Imagine waking up one morning to find that your fundamental right to influence state policy through citizen-led initiatives has been effectively nullified. This is not a dystopian fantasy but a looming reality in Washington State, where Senate Democrats are advancing legislation that will dismantle the very framework of our direct democracy.

Senate Bill 5382 (SB 5382) is a calculated move to impose unattainable requirements on the initiative process, thereby silencing the voice of the people.

Under the guise of ensuring integrity, the bill mandates that signature gatherers must sign a declaration on every petition sheet, affirming under penalty of false swearing that each petitioner signed accurately, was eligible, and received no compensation or promise thereof.

A signature gatherer cannot do this.

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Don’t fall for the trick. Democrats want to end voter initiatives

At first glance, the bill’s stipulations may appear to promote accuracy and prevent fraud. However, a closer examination reveals that they are practically impossible to fulfill. It’s a total ruse.

Consider the logistics: a signature gatherer, often a volunteer, is expected to verify that each signer has provided an address that perfectly matches their voter registration. How does one do that? This would necessitate real-time access to the state’s voter registration database as each of the tens of thousands of signatures necessary is connected.

Even minor discrepancies, such as the omission of an apartment number or a slight misspelling, could lead to a signature’s rejection. The bill claims that minor discrepancies, like incomplete or inaccurate apartment numbers, should not lead to invalidation, but this offers little reassurance given the stringent matching requirements.

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The mandates are impossible — by design

The requirement for signature gatherers to affirm that signers have reviewed the petition sheet and have not received any gratuity or promise thereof places an unreasonable burden on these individuals. Again, how in the world can they accomplish this?

It is unrealistic to expect a signature gatherer to ascertain whether a signer has thoroughly reviewed the petition or has been influenced by external promises. This provision sets a trap for unintentional violations. Is it above a Seattle activist or union stooge to tell a signature gatherer they thoroughly reviewed the petition but then claim otherwise? How does one prove they thoroughly reviewed a petition (or how do they prove they didn’t)? Should signature gatherers equip themselves with lie detector machines?

This provision is clearly intended to deter individuals from participating in the signature collection process due to fear of legal repercussions.

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Isn’t it ironic?

The bill also imposes additional duties on the Secretary of State to verify that the addresses on petitions match those on voter registration cards.

Signatures would be rejected if the addresses do not match, the petition lacks a residence address, or required information is missing. While the bill specifies that minor discrepancies should not lead to invalidation, the subjective nature of what constitutes a “minor” discrepancy leaves room for arbitrary enforcement.

Ironically, it’s Democrats who have previously claimed any signature matching on ballots is problematic and even racist. Suddenly, they want the voter-initiative process to live or die by them?

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Democrats claim they stand for democracy — while destroying it

The Democratic Party, which often touts itself as the guardian of democracy, is now orchestrating a clear assault on one of its core tenets: the citizen’s right to propose and enact laws independent of the legislature.

The effect of these provisions is to make the initiative process so cumbersome and fraught with potential legal pitfalls that it becomes virtually unworkable.  This assault on direct democracy is particularly egregious given the recent surge in voter-driven initiatives that have successfully enacted laws reflecting the will of the people.

This is not about safeguarding the integrity of our democratic processes; it is about building barriers to citizen participation because Washington Democrats hate their legislative agenda being derailed by pesky citizens.

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Democrats should try listening to the people, not ending Washington voter-led initiatives

Political leaders should be encouraging greater civic engagement, not less. It is alarming to witness an orchestrated effort to suppress the voices of the very citizens they are elected to represent. Too bad left-wing media is too busy feigning outrage with ICE agents deporting child rapists to shine a spotlight on this clear abuse of power.

The initiative process has been a cornerstone of Washington’s political landscape, empowering citizens to enact change when their elected officials fail to represent their interests. SB 5382 seeks to dismantle this cornerstone, leaving the populace at the mercy of a potentially unresponsive legislature.

If Democrats listened to voters more often, their agenda wouldn’t be upturned by voter initiatives as often. But they prefer total rule over Washington, where the subjects have little to no say. It might be a good time voter voices to speak with unity right now and demand this bill be dismissed.

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