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Key Findings
If approved, Referendum 88 would confirm the legislature’s passage of Initiative 1000 during the 2019 legislative session. Initiative 1000 would allow public officials to use race, gender and ethnicity as a factor in giving out public benefits.
Initiative 1000 seeks to repeal the voter-passed 1998 Washington Civil Rights Act, which banned affirmative action and government race-based discrimination.
Discrimination would be allowed at all levels of government; state, county, city, public schools and public universities.
Initiative 1000 would change the technical definition of “preferential treatment” so that affirmative action would be allowed.
Referendum 88 opponents say government officials should not favor or dis-favor people based on appearance or skin color.
A vote to “Approve” Referendum 88 means the 1998 Civil Rights Act would be repealed and government would be able to use race-based affirmative action.
A vote to “Reject” Referendum 88 means the 1998 Civil Rights Act would stay in place and race-based affirmative action would continue to be banned in Washington state.