Washington Referendum 74
Referendum 74 was a Washington state referendum to approve or reject the February 2012 bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state. On June 12, 2012, state officials announced that enough signatures in favor of the referendum had been submitted and scheduled the referendum to appear on the ballot in the November 6 general election. The law was upheld by voters in the November 6, 2012 election by a final margin of 7.4% and the result was certified on December 5.
Ballot measure
The ballot title read as follows:The ballot measure was accompanied by the following summary:
History
Title 26 of the Revised Code of Washington, entitled "domestic relations", governs marriage in Washington state. A 2012 bill, Senate Bill 6239, would legalize same-sex marriage and convert into a marriage on June 30, 2014, any undissolved state registered domestic partnership that does not involve at least one party aged 62 years or older. It also would add language at Section 26.04.010 exempting religious organizations from any requirement to "provide accommodations, facilities, advantages, privileges, services, or goods related to the solemnization or celebration of a marriage". Governor Christine Gregoire signed the engrossed bill on February 13. The bill was scheduled to take effect June 7 – 90 days after the end of the legislative session — but opponents submitted on June 6 the necessary signatures to suspend the bill and require a statewide voter referendum. On June 12, the Washington secretary of state announced that enough signatures had been submitted to place the referendum on the ballot for the November general election.Support and opposition
Statements for and against the bill are available online as part of the official online voter's guide for the referendum. Per Section 42.17A on "campaign disclosure and contribution", the Washington state Public Disclosure Commission posted campaign information online, including information for referenda and initiatives, showing seven groups registered for approval of the bill and one against. Of these, Washington United for Marriage and Preserve Marriage Washington were the most active, for and against the bill respectively.WUM lists "a coalition of more than 500 organizations and businesses" on its website. Amazon's Jeff Bezos and his wife pledged $2.5 million in support of the same-sex marriage law. Steve Ballmer of Microsoft and co-founder Bill Gates each donated $100,000 to the campaign in support as well. Starbucks, Nike, Inc., REI, Alcoa, Expedia, Inc., T-Mobile, Nordstrom, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and dozens of other businesses also supported the bill. United States President Barack Obama encouraged support as well.
Opposition to the bill was coordinated largely by the National Organization for Marriage and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle, which encouraged support for rejecting the bill among all parishes. Parishes planned "in-pew donations as part of what it is calling Preserve Marriage month" and NOM was expected to bring in additional money from outside the state.
Several newspapers in Washington state supported the bill, with the Seattle Times also launching an interactive social media campaign to encourage readers to support the bill publicly. Other endorsements included the Tacoma News-Tribune, Spokane's The Spokesman-Review, Vancouver's The Columbian, Yakima Herald-Republic, Tri-City Herald, Everett's The Herald, The Olympian, The Wenatchee World, and the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin.
Campaign fundraising
Referendum 74 generated a large number of individual donations which may have surpassed the 2008 record of 13,500 for the Washington Death with Dignity Act. As of July 3, 2012, Referendum 74 sponsor Preserve Marriage Washington had reportedly raised $132,000, while Washington United for Marriage raised $1.9 million. As of August, campaign-financing proponents showed a 13-to-1 fundraising advantage for same-sex marriage, but a National Organization for Marriage campaign director was confident that $4 million would appear as needed. A Public Disclosure Commission complaint has been filed, accusing both Preserve Marriage Washington and the National Organization for Marriage of having failed to report donations as required by law. As of October 5, 2012, proponents of Referendum 74 Washington United for Marriage have raised $9.4 million in donations and opponents Preserve Marriage Washington have raised about $1 million.Opinion polls
Various public opinion surveys of Washington residents asked questions regarding same-sex marriage. The questions vary, with some surveys referring directly to Referendum 74 and others asking more general questions. A post-election poll indicated much stronger support for such marriage among women than men across several categories.| Date of opinion poll | Conducted by | Sample size | For | Against | Undecided | Margin of error | Question |
| October 10–30, 2011 | University of Washington Center for Survey Research | 938 | 55% | 38% | 7% | ±3.2% | "Next year, the legislature could pass a law allowing gay and lesbian couples to get married. If that happens, there could be a referendum in which voters would beasked to approve or reject the law. If such a referendum were held today: Would you vote YES – that is, to keep a law in place allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry OR would you vote NO, against the law – to make it so that gay and lesbian couples could not marry?" |
| January 12–16, 2012 | SurveyUSA | 617 | 47% | 46% | 7% | ±4.0% | "If the legislature were to approve marriage for same-sex couples, and you were asked to approve or reject the law, how would you vote?" |
| February 7–9, 2012 | Elway Research | 405 | 51% | 45% | 4% | ±5.0% | "Should gay and lesbian couples have the same legal right to marry as straight couples?" |
| February 13–15, 2012 | SurveyUSA | 572 | 50% | 45% | 5% | ±4.2% | "A new law will allow same-sex couples to marry in Washington state. If you were asked to approve or reject the law, how would you vote?" |
| February 16–19, 2012 | Public Policy Polling | 1,264 | 50% | 46% | 4% | ±2.76% | "If there was a referendum on the new law legalizing same-sex marriage, would you vote to uphold the law, or would you vote to repeal it?" |
| May 22–24, 2012 | Strategies 360 | 500 | 54% | 33% | 12% | ±4.4% | "Do you think it should be legal or illegal for gay and lesbian couples to get married?" |
| May 29–30, 2012 | SurveyUSA | 661 | 40% | 37% | 23% | ±3.9% | "The state legislature has passed a bill to allow same-sex couples to marry, while allowing clergy and religious organizations to refuse to perform, recognize or accommodate any marriage ceremony. The issue may appear on the ballot in November as Measure 74, asking voters to approve or reject the bill. If Measure 74 is on the ballot, will you vote to approve the bill? Vote to reject the bill? Or are you not yet sure how you will vote?" |
| June 14–17, 2012 | Public Policy Polling | 1,073 | 51% | 42% | 7% | ±3.0% | "Do you think same-sex marriage should be legal or illegal?" |
| July 16–17, 2012 | SurveyUSA | 630 | 50% | 43% | 7% | ±4.0% | "A new law passed by the legislature would allow same-sex couples to marry in Washington state. Should this law be approved? Or rejected?" |
| September 7–9, 2012 | SurveyUSA | 524 | 56% | 38% | 6% | ±4.3% | "A new law passed by the legislature would allow same-sex couples to marry in Washington state. Should this law be approved? Or rejected?" |
| September 9–12, 2012 | Elway Poll | 405 | 51% | 37% | 12% | ±5% | "The legislature passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6239 concerning marriage for same-sex couples, modified domestic-partnership law, and religious freedom, and voters have filed a sufficient referendum petition on this bill. This bill would allow same-sex couples to marry, preserve domestic partnerships only for seniors, and preserve the right of clergy or religious organizations to refuse to perform, recognize, or accommodate any marriage ceremony. Should this bill be: Approved...Rejected." |
| September 28–30, 2012 | Survey USA | 540 | 55% | 40% | 6% | ±4.3% | "A new law passed by the legislature would allow same-sex couples to marry in Washington state. Should this law be approved? Or rejected?" |
| October 1–16, 2012 | University of Washington Center for Survey Research | 644 | 54.1% | 38.4% | 5.7% | ±3.9% | "Statewide ballot referendum seventy-four concerns marriage for same-sex couples. This referendum would allow same-sex couples to marry, preserve domestic partnerships only for seniors, and preserve the right of clergy or religious organizations to refuse to perform, recognize, or accommodate any marriage ceremony." |
| October 12–14, 2012 | Survey USA | 543 | 54% | 41% | 5% | ±4.3% | "A new law passed by the legislature would allow same-sex couples to marry in Washington state. Should this law be approved? Or rejected?" |
| October 17–20, 2012 | Strategies360 | 500 | 55% | 38% | 8% | ±4.4% | "Here is the next one. This initiative is called Referendum 74. The legislature passed a bill concerning marriage for same-sex couples, modified domestic-partnership law, and religious freedom, and voters have filed a referendum on this bill. This bill would allow same-sex couples to marry, preserve domestic partnerships only for seniors, and preserve the right of clergy or religious organizations to refuse to perform, recognize, or accommodate any marriage ceremony. Should this bill be approved or rejected?" |
| October 18–21, 2012 | Elway Poll | 451 | 49% | 45% | 6% | ±4.5% | "The legislature passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6239 concerning marriage for same-sex couples, modified domestic-partnership law, and religious freedom, and voters have filed a sufficient referendum petition on this bill. This bill would allow same-sex couples to marry, preserve domestic partnerships only for seniors, and preserve the right of clergy or religious organizations to refuse to perform, recognize, or accommodate any marriage ceremony. Should this bill be: Approved...Rejected." |
| October 18–31, 2012 | University of Washington Center for Survey Research | 632 | 57.9% | 36.9% | 5.7% | ±3.9% | "Statewide ballot referendum seventy-four concerns marriage for same-sex couples. This referendum would allow same-sex couples to marry, preserve domestic partnerships only for seniors, and preserve the right of clergy or religious organizations to refuse to perform, recognize, or accommodate any marriage ceremony." |
| October 28–31, 2012 | Survey USA | 555 | 52% | 43% | 5% | ±4.2% | "A new law passed by the legislature would allow same-sex couples to marry in Washington state. Should this law be approved? Or rejected?" |
| November 1–3, 2012 | Public Policy Polling | 932 | 52% | 42% | 6% | ±3.2% | "Referendum Measure No. 74 deals with Senate Bill 6239, which would allow same-sex couples to marry, preserve domestic partnerships only for seniors, and preserve the right of clergy or religious organizations to refuse to perform, recognize, or accommodate any marriage ceremony. Do you think this bill should be approved or rejected?" |
Results
County breakdown
Upon certification, Secretary of State Sam Reed partially credited the referendum for encouraging voter turnout of 81%, the highest in the nation. County offices in King and Thurston counties opened at 12:01 a.m. after the measure was certified, with celebrations in support outside of several government offices, with various same-sex weddings scheduled, free of charge, beginning just after midnight on December 9, just after the mandatory three-day waiting period applying to all Washington weddings.Other same-sex marriage referendums
- Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey, 2017
- 2016 Bermudian same-sex union and marriage referendum
- 2013 Croatian constitutional referendum
- Irish same-sex marriage referendum, 2015
- 2015 Slovak same-sex marriage referendum
- 2015 Slovenian same-sex marriage referendum
- United States:
- * Maine:
- ** 2009 Maine same-sex marriage referendum
- ** 2012 Maine same-sex marriage referendum
- * 2012 Maryland same-sex marriage referendum
- * 2012 Washington same-sex marriage referendum