Revenue legislation no longer requires non-binding advisory votes in Washington State. Governor Jay Inslee must sign where the Senate passed bill to eliminate advisory votes.
State Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Getty Images)
Senate Republicans Criticize The Bill to Eliminate Advisory Votes
The usage of advisory votes was established in Initiative 960 in 2007, requiring any tax increases to be accepted with a two-thirds vote, a 10-year cost estimate to be provided to voters and an advisory vote. Advisory votes are non-binding, non-legal referendums that measure voter sentiment. Advisory votes pollute ballots with anti-tax propaganda, according to measure supporters.
They feel that advisory votes are purposefully designed to generate distrust in government, and are not transparent or inclusive. Opponents of the law say advisory votes are crucial to democracy and allow people to voice their opinions on all tax hikes that affect them. They say the bill to eliminate advisory votes will limit voter participation and destroy accountability. Senate Republicans say advisory votes don’t confuse voters and increase democratic participation.
SB 5082 would eliminate advisory votes, which solely test voter opinion. Instead, it would construct a voter website with information regarding operational, capital, transportation, and state and local spending. To make voter brochures more accessible, the law suggests adding a QR code and website address.
Why Sen. Patty Kuderer believes the advisory vote system should be discarded?
Senator Patty Kuderer, the bill to eliminate advisory votes sponsor, says advisory votes are confusing, opaque, and anti-tax. She considers them fraudulent because they employ loaded and deceptive language to promote private interests and affect public opinion. She also thinks advisory votes clog the ballot and that the Legislature could use greater transparency tools.
Supporters say the voter website would provide more accurate information and better openness than advisory votes. The voter website would be more inclusive than advisory votes, which just capture voter opinion. Supporters of the bill hope that the Governor will sign the proposal into law, so eliminating the requirement for non-binding advisory votes in the state.
In conclusion, the Washington State House of Representatives passed a bill to eliminate advisory votes on revenue bills, which the Senate passed in February. Advisory votes pollute ballots with anti-tax propaganda, according to measure backers. Opponents of the law say advisory votes are crucial to democracy and allow people to voice their opinions on all tax hikes that affect them. The bill would eliminate advisory votes and develop a voter website with budget and expenditure information to improve openness and accountability.
