Connelly: Senate passes bill to scrub Eyman's 'advisory' votes

Tim Eyman has made a living and kept himself in the public eye through 20 years of sponsoring ballot initiatives. Tim Eyman has made a living and kept himself in the public eye through 20 years of sponsoring ballot initiatives. Photo: Joshua Trujillo, Seattlepi.com Photo: Joshua Trujillo, Seattlepi.com Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Connelly: Senate passes bill to scrub Eyman's 'advisory' votes 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

Tim Eyman was barred from getting into Gov. Jay Inslee's presidential announcement on Friday, at the same time the Washington State Senate was voting to throw out "advisory votes" that Eyman has put on the state ballot.

The advisory measures were created by an Eyman initiative narrowly passed by voters in 2007.

The Senate voted 27-20, with support from three Republicans, to take them off the ballot. The legislation, SB 5224, goes to the House.

Voters were asked if they want to "maintain" or "repeal" revenue-related measures passed in the last session of the Legislature. The votes are non-binding and meaningless. Voters are given no explanation of what the money goes for.

RELATED: Eyman has filed for bankruptcy but has $465,615 in checking accounts

Eyman has described the advisory votes as "tax increase report cards." Opponents have argued they are confusing and clutter up the ballot.

"They appear on the ballot before U.S. Senate races . . . even ahead of the President: It's silly, it's misleading, it's dangerous," Julie Wise, King County Elections Director, recently commented to The Stranger.

Andrew Villeneuve, head of the Northwest Progressive Institute and a longtime Eyman foe, cheered the Senate vote. "Advisory votes are wasteful and deceptive," he said. "They are intended to shape public opinion, not measure it."

He likened the advisory votes to so-called push polls, in campaigns where marketers shape questions to get the result they want.

RELATED: Washington initiative promoter Tim Eyman lashes out at fellow Republican

And the Inslee announcement?

Eyman issued an email blast on Friday morning, saying he would be coming up to Seattle for the announcement. He would eek to question the Governor about the 6 percent (in two years) pay raise he was given, recently voted by a state commission. Eyman is seeking a referendum on the measure.

The announcement ceremony, at A & R Solar, was on private property. Eyman was kept outside the fence, and denied a sought-after opportunity for the limelight.

No chairs were found missing when the event concluded.