Secret effort to invalidate initiatives on the fall ballot fails

(The Center Square) – Representatives of the Let’s Go Washington voter advocacy group say they were blindsided Friday afternoon at learning the state Supreme Court was about to decide whether to invalidate all voter-backed initiatives on the Nov. 5 ballot. The court unanimously rejected their demands and dismissed the case.

This November, voters will decide on initiatives repealing the capital gains tax, prohibiting carbon tax credit trading and repealing provisions of the 2021 Climate Commitment Act, and allowing people to opt out of the state’s WA Cares long-term care program. A fourth initiative, sponsored by the Business Industry Association of Washington, would prohibit state and local governments from restricting access to natural gas.

The situation that came to a head on Friday afternoon involves two cases.

Earlier this year, the anti-initiatives organization, Defend Washington, filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, claiming signatures to qualify the initiative...