Could It Be?

Trey Smith

I few days ago I shared with you the information that I voted in favor of legalizing marijuana and same-sex marriage in my state of Washington. I also told you that I was supremely confident that neither initiative had ANY chance of passage. To be quite candid, I thought it was more likely that pigs would fly!

Well, just to show how well I understand the pulse of Washington voters, a recent poll from Seattle's NBC affiliate, King 5, shows that both measures stand a better than even chance of being passed!

The ballot initiative to legalize marijuana, as of 5 days ago, showed 56% in favor, 37% in opposition with 7% not sure. Unless the pollsters are way off or something really strange happens in the last few days of the campaign, this measure should pass easily. The same-sex marriage initiative is a bit closer, but 52% say they will vote in favor.

If either of these ballot measures passes, I will be overjoyed, to say the least. I also will be completely flabbergasted. I truly thought we were at least a decade or two away from such victories.

Of course, I am a realist too. If one or both of these measures pass, I'm very confident neither will go into effect anytime soon. As it almost always happens, the opposition will file lawsuits and/or injunctions against to try to thwart the will of the voters. What this means is that the passage of one or both measures will represent a symbolic victory in the short-term and who knows what in the long-term.

But I've been wrong before!