My first diary, so I hope everything comes out all right.
With the final count of petition signatures completed Tuesday, Referendum 71, or the "Everything but Marriage" law will go to the November ballot in WA state. It is important to note that while supporters of all kinds of partnerships and families have been against the approval of the petition to send the law to the ballot, voters who support such partnerships and families will need to approve the referendum. In other words, Referendum 71 is worded in such a way as to support domestic partnerships. A vote for Referendum 71 is a vote in support of equal rights (or a step in that direction).
With that said, there is some encouraging news today from polls according to the Seattle Times. Support for gay marriage and full domestic partnership has risen in WA by 7 points since 2006 to a semi-comfortable 66%, but we all saw what happened in California. Polls there appeared to show support for gay marriage, but on election day equal rights were defeated. I would expect that some out-of-state money will start arriving in hopes of defeating R. 71 and these poll numbers will change. So all of you in Washington, get out and vote yes on R. 71.
UPDATE: As stated in the comments below by jpmassar, the Sec. of State of Maine has confirmed that a measure will go on the ballot there to veto the passage of a law allowing gay marriage there. To sum up, if you support equal rights vote YES in Washington and NO in Maine.