Initiative roundup

Washington voters gave many of their fellow citizens a raise on Election Day, passing Initiative 1433 by a wide margin, raising the minimum wage in annual steps until it reaches $13.50 an hour by 2020.

In Grays Harbor County the measure received a 54.3 percent approval. In Pacific County it was passing with 54.7 percent.

Meantime, the state’s voters overwhelmingly approved Initiative 1491, designed to keep guns from people deemed by a judge to be a danger to themselves or others. The measure, approving so-called “extreme risk protection orders,” was passing on election night with a 71.1 percent yes vote. In Grays Harbor County it was passing with 62.8 percent of the vote. In Pacific County the approval rate was 62.7 percent.

Initiative 1464

The measure to provide public funding for legislative campaigns was failing with a 52.4 percent negative vote. It would be funded by ending sale tax exemptions to consumers from states that don’t have a sales tax. The measure would also have required that lawmakers wait three years after leaving the Legislature before working as lobbyists.

Initiative 1501

The measure would prevent the release of certain information on senior citizens and their caregivers. The primary proponent was the Service Employees International Union. Opponents said the measure was mostly about impeding anti-union forces from being able to reach union workers to tell them that they were not required to pay union dues.

Initiative 732

The measure is failing with a 58.5 percent negative vote. It would create a tax on large industries that emit carbon. At the same time, it would reduce sales tax by 1 percentage point and reduce B&O taxes. Opponents said it would harm the economy and reduce the number of jobs because it would harm industry.

Initiative 735

It is being approved by 63.9 percent as of election night. The measure is in reaction to the Citizen’s United Supreme Court decision. The initiative would have asked the state’s congressional delegation to propose a federal constitutional amendment saying that corporations, labor unions and other organizations don’t have the same constitutional rights as people. It was largely symbolic and designed to reduce the influence of corporation money in politics. Opponents said it was an abridgment of freedom of speech.