Referendum 71 Passes

In this year’s election, the Jewish Federation stood alongside allies in the gay and lesbian community and supported an “approve” vote on Referendum 71 to protect the recent domestic partnership statute adopted by the legislature. Seattle’s Jewish community supported the domestic partnership statute as it was being considered by the legislature and overwhelmingly supported the effort to approve R.71 at the ballot box. Diverse Jewish organizations like the Jewish Federation, the Washington State Holocaust Education Resource Center and Jewish Family Service signed on as supporters of the campaign, as did synagogues and rabbis from every corner of Western Washington. With the ballots all counted, Washington State has become the first state in the country to vote in favor of extending civil rights to same-sex couples.

We are proud to have been part of this historic vote.