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The Seattle PI, the new online version of their news service, has been relatively quiet about Referendum 71---until yesterday. They seized the opportunity to make two points in one little article.
In their article yesterday, the PI pointed out correctly that the error rate on the signature count on R-71 has inched up the last couple of days. Interestingly, I didn't notice that they reported when it "inched" down.
As we reported last week, the Elections Office has accelerated the validation process, because, they explained to us, the other side is putting pressure on them to complete the process and because they have other tasks facing them in the near future, so to accommodate all this, they have set an artificial deadline to be finished and have accelerated the process.
We expressed concern that as they accelerated, the "master check" level may not spend the time they had been spending at that level, which would cause our error rate to rise. This is happening. They are spending lees time per check, at that level, and the error rate is inching up.
The error rate had been as low as 10.41%, then moved up to 10.68% on Thursday and by Friday evening, they are reporting 10.99%.
Because of the way most all of these signatures were gathered, the error rate will be lower than normal. Much lower. We are deeply concerned that the emphasis seems to be shifting from accuracy to deadline. The Secretary's office is assuring everyone they will be done by the end of the month. We wish they would go back to spending adequate time, particularly at the master checker level, to insure accuracy, not a completion date.
We are particularly concerned about the several thousand deemed "not registered" voters and the 501 signatures they say don't match the signature on file.
The PI chose to identify all of us who support marriage as "anti-gay rights".
I know there are those in the Seattle press who understand that at the heart of the matter, we are not "anti-gay rights," but are pro-traditional or natural marriage. This article chose to identify us in the more negative light. I, nor most of the tens of thousands of people who are standing for and actively defending marriage, are "anti-gay rights." We are pro-marriage.
It was only when homosexual activists began to demand that marriage be deconstructed and family be redefined, that we became active.
While some may become weary or distracted, there are those of us who will always work to advance Judeo-Christian values in our culture. Not because we are against things, but rather because of what we stand for.
These values gave rise to the greatest country in the history of the world and only these values can sustain this great nation.
Your support allows us to continue. Thank you for your financial support.
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Gary Randall
President
Faith & Freedom
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