Opinion
No. 103260-9
08-09-2024
WASHINGTON CONSERVATION ACTION EDUCATION FUND, Tony Usibelli, and Nancy Henderson, Petitioners, v. Steve HOBBS, et al., Respondents.
ORDER
¶1 This case came before the Court (Justice Owens did not sit) at its August 9, 2024, Special En Banc Conference. Washington Conservation Action Education Fund and two individual voters petition this court directly under RCW 29A.68.013 for an order requiring Secretary of State Steve Hobbs to cease counting signatures for ballot initiative 2066 using present signature verification procedures. Principally at issue is whether the secretary’s verification based solely on matching petition signatures to signatures found in the voter rolls is insufficient, and whether the secretary must also verify signers’ addresses. Petitioners move this court for accelerated review in light of the upcoming deadline for submitting initiatives for printing on 2024 general election ballots. Petitioners also move for an injunction against certifying the initiatives for placement on the ballot without verifying addresses and for accelerated review. Having considered the arguments of the parties in their briefing, the Court unanimously agreed that the petition should be dismissed. The relief petitioners seek must be sought in superior court under RCW 29A.72.240, the more specific statute applicable to signature challenges, not in this court under RCW 29A.68.013.
¶2 Now, therefore, it is hereby
¶3 ORDERED:
(1) The motion for an injunction is denied.
(2) The motion for accelerated review is denied.
(3) The petition under RCW 29A.68.013 is dismissed.
¶4 An opinion fully explaining the court’s decision will be issued at a later time.
For the Court
/s/ González, C.J.
CHIEF JUSTICE