Date: Wed, 29 Jun 1994 23:47:14 -0700 (PDT)
From: Richard Isaac <rmisaac@eskimo.com>

from the _Seattle Times_, Juen 29, 1994, page ONE:
w/o permission, all typos and brackets mien:

ANTI-GAY-RIGHTS MEASURES FALTER, BUT 608 HAS NEW PITCH

by Mark Matassa, Seattle Times staff reporter

Fearing their campaign to restrict gay rights may never make the ballot, 
sponsors of Initiative 608 are making a last-minute, two-part push to 
fill petitions:

They have begun to pay people to collect signatures, in apparent 
violation of a law that isn't being enforced, and they are opening a 
newspaper advertising pitch tomorrow.

Until now, both supporters and opponents have assumed that the volatility 
of the gay-rights issue and the supposed determination of the 
conservative Christian political network would combine to ensure 608 -- 
and perhaps a similar measure, Initiative 610 -- a place on the November 
ballot.

The two initiatives would deny minority status or civil-rights 
protections to gays.

So far, the sponsors' strategy has been to use volunteer signature 
gatherers.  The change in petition strategy is a tacit acknowledgment, 
campaign organizers said yesterday, that the 608 drive hasn't been 
visible enough, even for supporters.

Initiative 610, backed by Oregon activist Lon Mabon, has been more highly 
publicized.

But its backers have acknowledged difficulty in gathering signatures, and 
of the two, 608 is believed to have the better chance of qualifying.  

Doug Burman, director of the Washington Public Affairs Council and a 
coordinator of the 608 campaign, said self-described "bigot busters" 
deployed by initiative opponents have intimidated some people from 
signings petitions and have discouraged some volunteers from venturing 
into public with their clipboards.

He said it is still possible for supporters to collect the necessary 
181,000 [sic] valid voter signatures for 608 by the July 8 deadline.  He 
hopes the offer to pay people 30 cents per signature will bring a few 
more in, as well as encourage volunteers to submit signatures they've 
already collected.  In addition, the group will begin running full-page 
newspaper ads tomorrow in Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane and other cities, at a 
total cost of about $20,000, Burman said.  The ads will include the text 
of the initiative and can be used as signature petitions.

David Brine, spokesman for Secretary of State Ralph Munro, said it is 
legal in Washington to pay signature gatherers, but only if they are paid 
an hourly rate or salary.  It is not legal, he said, to pay workers 
according to the number of signatures they gather.

However, that 1993 statute has been challenged by LIMIT, a Tacoma-based 
group that is paying, by th signature, to fill petitions for a measure to 
license denturistst.  A decision is expected soon on that case from US 
District Judge Barbara Rothstein.

Sherry Bockwinkel of LIMIT said the statute has not been enforced while 
the case is pending.  LIMIT pays most workers 40 to 60 cents per 
signature, she said.

       *  Richard Isaac		
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    \*   * /    Seattle		* DECLINE TO SIGN   608/610 *
    *\    * 			* REPORT SIGHTINGS 322-2782 *
   ***\**/**    rmisaac         *****************************
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