138,000 with a few more to come

A law expanding rights of state-registered domestic partnerships won’t be taking effect as planned Sunday.

Opponents of the law delivered what they said was 138,000 signatures for Referendum 71 to the Secretary of State’s Office this afternoon. This measure aims to repeal the law.

It was a little after 3 p.m. when organizers of the referendum campaign and a host of volunteers started bringing in the petitions. Among the volunteers were Sen. Val Stevens and Rep. Matt Shea.

Members of Washington Families Standing Together, a coalition dedicated to protecting the law and defeating the referendum, were on hand to observe.

Signatures of at least 120,577 registered voters are needed to qualify the referendum for the November election. State election officials have said roughly 150,000 signatures are needed to ensure there are enough valid ones to cover those discarded as duplicates or invalid.

If there are enough, the law would not take effect unless approved by voters. If it turns out there are too few then the law will go into effect immediately. It may be mid-August before the verification process is finished.

Gary Randall of the Faith and Freedom Network said earlier this week the effort was too close to call.

He sounded much more confident today and predicted the law will be repealed if it reaches the voters.

Stevens was one of a handful seated on folding chairs at the foot of the Capiol tallying signatures collected on petitions in the last few days.

"You can't ever have a big enough cushion. I guess I would say God is in control," she said.

If the effort comes up short?

"We'll go for an initiative," she said.