A petition intended to prevent mandates and restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Clark County is now in the hands of the Clark County auditor.
On Nov. 30, about 11,500 signatures for the petition were submitted at the Clark County Elections Office by Rob Anderson, the chief organizer of the petition. The petition calls on the Clark County Council to make an ordinance that prohibits “all mandates within Clark County that discriminate against a person’s health and/or health information privacy.”
A draft version of the ordinance from petition backers would prohibit “any and all discriminatory mandates, orders or compulsory requirements within Clark County buildings or land use that discriminates against an individual based on his or her current health status, violates health privacy or that does not honor health, religious or moral objectors in an equitable manner.” The draft ordinance states violations of the ordinance could lead to fines, permit denials and revocations.
Nearly 1,200 pages of signatures were collected in 57 days, according to Clark County Elections records. Prior to the turn-in, dozens of supporters gathered in front of the Clark County Public Service Center to commemorate what petition backers are calling an unprecedented moment in county activism.
“We make history today,” Anderson said to the gathered crowd. “I’m convinced if we continued on just another month we would get tens of thousands more (signatures.)”
Anderson said volunteers met with citizens from across the political spectrum and differing vaccination status during their efforts to get signatures.
“We aren’t anti-vax or anti-COVID. We’re anti-discrimination and tyranny,” Anderson said, pointing to Gov. Jay Inslee’s multiple executive orders regarding the pandemic. “He hides behind the guise of saving lives, as he is undoubtedly destroying lives, yet only those who don’t comply with his ideology and his politics.”
The signatures were specifically for a “mini-initiative” petition, one of three routes county citizens can take under its initiative and referendum process. As a mini-initiative, petitioners had to collect signatures from registered Clark County voters totaling at least 3% of the voter total in the past gubernatorial election. The petitioners managed to surpass the 8,311 threshold by about 38%.
With the signatures submitted, the auditor’s office has 30 days to verify there are enough signatures. If the number is met, the petition heads to the county council who then has 60 days to hold a public hearing. After the hearing, the council must make a decision to approve, deny, or modify the ordinance within 30 days.
Anderson mentioned 59 Clark County residents died from COVID-19 even though they were fully vaccinated.
“All medical decisions should be made with your doctor and family, not with the HR department,” Anderson said.
Speaking alongside Anderson was Washington State Rep. Vicki Kraft, R-Vancouver, who lauded those gathered for their efforts in getting the petition signed.
“I recognize and understand painfully well as a legislator the need for this type of effort,” Kraft said.
Kraft introduced legislation this year with a similar intent as the petition, though House Bill 1305 was never heard in committee. House Bill 1305 would allow Washingtonians to refuse a number of health measures including vaccines and testing, even for conditions of employment or attending events.
“It’s your body, your choice on what you decide to put in or not, and certainly for your children,” Kraft said to cheers from the crowd.
