Petition to Governor Jay Inslee and Secretary of State Kim Wyman,

We’re calling on the state of Washington to protect our democratic rights and allow for online signature gathering for initiative and candidate petitions!

We are living through an unprecedented global pandemic and economic recession. Working people are facing lost jobs, lost wages and a serious threat to their health and lives. In this context, it’s more important than ever that we are able to maintain democratic rights and fair elections.

Under current law, ballot initiatives can require tens or even hundreds of thousands of petition signatures to be gathered on printed paper. But there is no “safe” or even legal way to do this in the context of the “social distancing” urged by scientists, and a state-mandated lockdown, and it would be reckless to even try.

Earlier this year, the Seattle-area King Conservation District held an election which allowed voters to cast ballots via smartphone. It is clear that technology to validate voters online is available, and we feel it should be employed in the interests of democracy and public health. In New York State, Governor Cuomo signed an executive order to slash the petitioning threshold for candidates running for office, showing the need for alternatives to protect democracy during this crisis. It is the responsibility of state elected officials to provide a path for us to safely and responsibly exercise our constitutional right to legislate.