Portion of Referendum 74 signatures in question
Jun 11, 2012, 6:18 AM | Updated: 7:39 am
Nearly a thousand signatures for Referendum 74 are being questioned by the Secretary of State’s office. They appear to have been signed by one petition gatherer.
The Seattle Times reports the elections division is investigating 48 petition sheets all linked to a woman working for a signature-gathering company. She apparently used the names of real registered voters but then forged the signatures.
Washington’s gay marriage law was blocked from taking effect last week, as opponents filed near 250,000 signatures seeking a public vote on the issue in November.
Preserve Marriage Washington submitted the signatures just a day before the state was to begin allowing same-sex marriages.
“I’m not really that concerned that we’re not going to qualify,” says Joseph Backholm, with Preserve Marriage Washington. “There are more than enough signatures.”
State workers will check about 3 percent of the signatures turned in. That check should be completed by Tuesday. If there are problems in that inspection, every signature gathered will be checked.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
