Basic Rights Oregon Wants Your Help In Washington

Basic Rights Oregon is reaching across the Columbia River to help its counterparts in Washington. On Nov. 3, Washington voters will decide whether to retain domestic partnership when they consider Referendum 71. And BRO wants people to come to its downtown Portland office next week for some phone-banking of Washington voters on that question.

Oregon's domestic partnership law took effect last year. And Washington's Legislature this year passed Senate Bill 5688 (PDF) to provide domestic partnership rights to same-sex couples — allowing partners, for example, to visit each other in the hospital or to take care of each other's end-of-life needs. In July, a group opposing domestic partnerships, Protect Marriage Washington, turned in enough signatures to qualify a ballot question requiring Washington voters to confirm SB 5688.

If you want to help BRO help Washington hold on to its domestic partnership rights, you can volunteer in BRO's Portland office at 310 SW 4th Avenue this Monday through Thursday from 6 pm to 9 pm. RSVP here.