Jamie Pedersen

Dear folks –

Thanks for your signing the petition to repeal Initiative 638. I share your disappointment and frustration at its apparent passage. I voted against the initiative; spoke out against it publicly; and doorbelled and raised over $15,000 for the No Hate in Washington State campaign. I suspect that if it does go into effect, voters will have significant buyer’s remorse for the reasons you outline.

Now that I-638 has passed, it cannot be repealed or even amended for the next two years without a 2/3 majority in both chambers of the legislature. No Republican will support amendments to the initiative, so that is not a possibility.

Advocates, including Gender Justice League and the ACLU of Washington, are now preparing a legal challenge to the initiative. I think that there is a strong chance that I-638 will be struck down as violating our state’s equal rights amendment, because it puts a burden on participation in girls’ sports that does not exist for boys. I wholeheartedly support that effort.

Best wishes, Jamie


[Note: The Change.org Civic Engagement Team reaches out to decision makers to let them know about petitions in their community and to help facilitate engagement with supporters. The above was an email response we received regarding this petition.]