Oregon Public Broadcasting

Tuesday is the deadline for Washington state campaigns to report their latest financial figures.

So far, 2009 is turning out to be a low-key political year on the statewide level – despite two relatively controversial measures on Washington's November ballot. Austin Jenkins reports from Olympia.

Washington voters confront two statewide measures. Initiative 1033 caps government tax revenue. Referendum 71 seeks to overturn expanded domestic partnership benefits.

So far the opponents of limiting growth in government have raised the most money – more than a million dollars – with the big checks coming from unions.

Gay rights backers are nearing the million dollar mark to defend the domestic partner benefits. They recently got a $100,000 assist from Microsoft.

Even so these are not big totals compared to past years. Todd Donovan, a political science professor at Western Washington University, suspects it has to do with the nature of the issues.

Todd Donovan: “It's not the kind of year where you've got an initiative that's really sticking it to some very wealthy interest. That's when I think we really get money being spent.”

For instance in 2005 insurance companies and trial lawyers spent nearly $16 million fighting over a medical malpractice measure.