By Peninsula Daily News news services
EDITOR’S NOTE: Statewide and countywide ballot totals are below.
INITIATIVE 1183
VOTERS STATEWIDE ON Tuesday approved a plan to privatize liquor sales and dismantle controls that have been in place since Prohibition, siding with retailing giant Costco in the costliest initiative campaign in state history.
Unofficial results Tuesday night showed the measure with 60 percent support in early returns.
Costco Wholesale Corp. had committed $22 million to supporting the measure — $6 for every registered voter — as executives portrayed the Issaquah-based company as a crusader for consumers and said that it could take years to make up the investment in the initiative.
Wholesalers provided much of the opposition funding, as retailers will now be able to bypass them and buy product directly from producers.
The new rules go into effect in June, and about 1,000 people who currently operate the state’s system will lose their jobs.
Costco had backed another privatization measure that failed last year with 47 percent of the vote.
INITIATIVE 1125
A Tim Eyman initiative that would disrupt Washington state’s use of tolling and prohibit light rail from crossing the Interstate 90 bridge across Lake Washington was narrowly trailing in election returns Tuesday night.
Less than 51 percent of voters were opposing Initiative 1125 in early results tallied from 1.1 million votes. It was the only statewide ballot measure that was at risk of losing, sullied by broad opposition to the measure — from Democratic Gov.
Chris Gregoire to Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna.
Eyman said that no matter the final tally, the campaign had made tolls a radioactive issue for lawmakers.
“I think they’re walking on the thinnest of thin ice,” Eyman said. “It’s hard to view this thing as anything else but a very successful effort.”
Eyman’s plan would force the Legislature to approve tolls, instead of allowing a commission to decide. State officials fear that the rules would scare away investors who won’t want to purchase bonds backed by tolls that could be mired in a political process.
That could take away a key funding source for projects such as the Highway 520 bridge replacement across Lake Washington and a new Columbia River bridge connecting Vancouver, Wash., and Portland, Ore.
INITiATIVE 1163
Dealing with long-term care workers, I-1163 passed with broad support. It will cost the state $18 million over the next two years and doesn’t have a source of revenue.
The initiative includes 75 hours of paid training for long-term care workers, instead of the currently required 35 hours. All new workers would undergo federal background checks. Currently, new workers who have lived in Washington for three years undergo state background checks while people new to Washington go through an FBI check.
Lawmakers are currently in a struggle to find as much as $2 billion in budget cuts that will likely include further reductions in education funding at all levels.
Voters previously approved a measure similar to I-1163 three years ago. The Legislature has delayed implementation because of the budget constraints. Advocates are concerned that people who need care may be vulnerable.
“Today, the voters have spoken again, making a strong statement that they expect quality care for our vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities to be a high priority,” said pro-1163 spokesman Sandeep Kaushik.
Voters also approved two constitutional amendments Tuesday, one to make a technical correction about voter residency rules and another that requires the Legislature to set aside extra cash during times of economic boom.
STATEWIDE, and BY COUNTY
STATEWIDE:
Initiative Measure 1125 Concerning state expenditures on transportation.
Last updated at 9:52 PM
Yes
552,441 49.07%
No
573,376 50.93%
Total Votes 1,125,817 100%
Initiative Measure 1163 Concerning long-term care workers and services for elderly and disabled people.
Last updated on 11/08/2011 9:52 PM
Yes
753,010 66.77%
No
374,706 33.23%
Total Votes 1,127,716 100%
Initiative Measure 1183 Concerning liquor: beer, wine, and spirits (hard liquor).
Last updated on 11/08/2011 9:52 PM
Yes
685,979 59.69%
No
463,237 40.31%
Total Votes 1,149,216 100%
Senate Joint Resolution 8205 Concerning the length of time a voter must reside in Washington to vote for president and vice president.
Last updated on 11/08/2011 9:52 PM
Approved
785,798 71.45%
Rejected
314,054 28.55%
Total Votes 1,099,852 100%
Senate Joint Resolution 8206 Concerning the budget stabilization account maintained in the state treasury.
Last updated on 11/08/2011 9:52 PM
Approved
719,941 66.88%
Rejected
356,572 33.12%
Total Votes 1,076,513 100%
AND . . .
CLALLAM COUNTY RESULTS:
Statewide Initiative Measure 1125
Concerning state expenditures on transportation.
Yes
9,177 53.07%
No
8,116 46.93%
Total Votes 17,293 100%
Statewide Initiative Measure 1163
Concerning long-term care workers and services for elderly and disabled people.
Yes
12,161 70.12%
No
5,181 29.88%
Total Votes 17,342 100%
Statewide Initiative Measure 1183
Concerning liquor: beer, wine, and spirits (hard liquor).
Yes
10,701 60.51%
No
6,983 39.49%
Total Votes 17,684 100%
Statewide Senate Joint Resolution 8205
Concerning the length of time a voter must reside in Washington to vote for president and vice president.
Approved
12,408 73.64%
Rejected
4,442 26.36%
Total Votes 16,850 100%
Statewide Senate Joint Resolution 8206
Concerning the budget stabilization account maintained in the state treasury.
Approved
11,799 71.27%
Rejected
4,756 28.73%
Total Votes 16,555 100%
JEFFERSON COUNTY RESULTS:
Statewide Initiative Measure 1125
Concerning state expenditures on transportation.
Yes
5,168 43.23%
No
6,786 56.77%
Total Votes 11,954 100%
Statewide Initiative Measure 1163
Concerning long-term care workers and services for elderly and disabled people.
Measure Vote Vote %
Yes
8,000 67.4%
No
3,870 32.6%
Total Votes 11,870 100%
Statewide Initiative Measure 1183
Concerning liquor: beer, wine, and spirits (hard liquor).
Measure Vote Vote %
Yes
6,957 57.28%
No
5,188 42.72%
Total Votes 12,145 100%
Statewide Senate Joint Resolution 8205
Concerning the length of time a voter must reside in Washington to vote for president and vice president.
Approved
9,047 77.38%
Rejected
2,644 22.62%
Total Votes 11,691 100%
Statewide Senate Joint Resolution 8206
Concerning the budget stabilization account maintained in the state treasury.
Approved
7,785 68.41%
Rejected
3,595 31.59%
Total Votes 11,380 100%
