High court rules for public disclosure in petition case

The U.S. Supreme Court today ruled against the anti-marriage equality group, Protect Marriage Washington, which sought to keep hidden the names of people who signed petitions aimed at repealing the state’s expansive domestic partnership law. In an 8–1 ruling, the high court said those names must be made public.

In April, the Task Force, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, Lambda Legal and Human Rights Campaign joined Washington Families Standing Together and the state of Washington in filing an amicus brief defending open government laws requiring public disclosure of the names of voters who sign petitions supporting state ballot initiatives.

Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey called the decision “a victory for transparency and accountability.”

Read developing news coverage and download the ruling. Read the response from Washington Families Standing Together.