Oregon Public Broadcasting

It could be do-or-die week for opponents of Washington's latest gay domestic partnership law.

By the end of the month, the Secretary of State's office hopes to finish verifying signatures for Referendum 71. But the attorney for backers of the referendum says if the measure fails to qualify for the ballot legal action is likely.

Olympia Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.

Attorney Stephen Pidgeon has written what he calls his second letter of protest to Republican Secretary of State Sam Reed.

Election staff are in the process of verifying every signature on every petition turned in by the Referendum 71 campaign.

This will determine whether the measure to repeal the state's latest domestic partnership law makes it on this November's ballot.

Either way that count is running very close. Now attorney Pidgeon accuses the Secretary of State of rushing the verification process.

He also says voters of Russian descent are being disproportionately disqualified. And that election staffers are showing political bias.

The Secretary of State's office rejects the allegations.

An elections official says there have not been any changes in the process except to add additional checks.