Voted

Well, I've filled out my ballot. There are a number of interesting/important initiatives, referenda, and propositions on the Washington ballot this year. The two highest profile measures are Referendum 74, which would preserve the legislative bill that legalized same-sex marriage this year, and Initiative 502, which would legalize marijuana. I gave the thumbs up to both of those. There were also a number of economic/taxation measures, including another Tim Eyman anti-taxation measure (1185) that got the thumbs down from me. I also voted no on charter schools (Initiative 1240), even though I don't feel strongly on the issue. Likewise I approved the proposal (8223) to allow the UW and WSU to invest public funds, even though I have mixed feelings about it. The latter two votes had a lot to do with my anger at the cuts in state funding for public education.

It looks as though we're in for another close governor's race, and I voted for Democrat Jay Inslee over former UW student body president Rob "the Winsome Weasel" McKenna. (And fuck you too, Seattle Times.) I couldn't bring myself to vote for Lieutenant Governor one way or the other. Maybe I should write somebody in? I voted for Democrats in every other contested race on the ballot (including Frank Chopp over socialist Kshama Sawant for the state legislature). I approved the proposition to fund the rebuild of the Alaskan Way seawall (City of Seattle Proposition 1).

Lots of important business in all this. I'm feeling optimistic about both marriage equality and legalized marijuana (despite the shameless opposition of the medical marijuana industry). We shall see.