SEATTLE — Washington Attorney General Nick Brown announced Friday, June 12, that his office will assist local prosecutors investigating crimes against people collecting signatures for ballot initiatives and referendums, citing a recent pattern of harassment and violence.
“We should not tolerate illegal actions that threaten to disrupt Washington’s democratic process,” Brown wrote in his announcement. “Threats, intimidation, and violence have no place in our political process.”
Brian Heywood, founder of Let’s Go Washington, welcomed Brown’s announcement but called for follow-through.
“Grateful for this step,” Heywood said. “Signature gatherers have faced harassment and intimidation for several years while exercising a core constitutional right. A letter is a start — we’ll be watching to see if local prosecutors act on it and whether the AG’s office follows through when referrals come in. Words matter. So does what happens next.”
Brown sent letters to 39 county prosecutors and more than 250 municipal attorneys offering investigative and prosecutorial support in such cases. The move follows a series of incidents targeting signature gatherers for Initiative 26-645, the measure sponsored by Let’s Go Washington that would repeal the state’s new 9.9% income tax on individual income over $1 million.
The announcement came one day after a 54-year-old man was arrested in Puyallup on second-degree robbery charges in connection with an assault on a signature gatherer. The man allegedly took petition sheets containing 20 to 30 signatures and assaulted the female signature gatherer as she recorded the confrontation outside a Safeway store on June 9.
According to Pierce County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Carly Cappetto, the man approached the 63-year-old gatherer, asking to see the petition. He then proceeded to take the sheets and walked away. When she followed the man into the parking lot while recording and demanded the petitions back, he allegedly struck or covered her phone. He then drove off in his vehicle.
Pierce Deputies later identified and arrested the man at his home without incident—his name has not been released to the public. Pierce County prosecutors are reviewing video evidence and may add charges such as assault or interfering with the petition process.
The Puyallup incident is one of at least three documented cases of interference with signature gatherers for Initiative 26-645 in the past month.
In late May, Sammamish City Councilwoman Pam Stuart was accused of harassing and directly interfering with gatherers outside a Safeway in Sammamish. Stuart is the spokesperson for Washingtonians for Ethical Government (WFEG), the group that filed a complaint against Let’s Go Washington alleging that the group failed to disclose up to $1.25 million in in-kind contributions from conservative podcaster Brandi Kruse for promoting initiatives on her podcast and at events.
"A really nasty lady": Sammamish City Councilwoman Pam Stuart is accused of harassing signature gatherers who are trying to repeal the state income tax. One of her victims says she directly interfered with his ability to collect signatures, which is a violation of state law. pic.twitter.com/gkRh6VYfUu
One gatherer, Nick Large, said Stuart blocked or confronted him while he attempted to collect signatures, actions that violate state law prohibiting interference with the petition process.
Also, in late May and early June, a woman referred to in videos as “FFF” repeatedly harassed a signature gatherer at a Walmart in Poulsbo over two consecutive days. She screamed obscenities at the gatherer and at people attempting to sign the petitions. The gatherer called police on the second day.
Let’s Go Washington has reported dozens of incidents of harassment, theft of petitions, and assaults during its 2025 signature drives for other initiatives. In 2025, the group documented at least 32 to 35 incidents, primarily in the Tacoma area, resulting in some arrests.
Washington law makes it a gross misdemeanor to interfere with a voter’s right to sign or not sign an initiative petition through threats, intimidation, or other corrupt means, under RCW 29A.84.250. When force is used to take property, the offense can rise to robbery, a felony.
The Attorney General’s office has also published guidance outlining the rights of signature gatherers and voters. Signature gathering is a protected activity under the state constitution. Opponents may urge people not to sign but may not block access to gatherers or destroy or take petition sheets.
Gatherers generally may collect signatures in public places without permits, though private property owners may set rules. It is unlawful to destroy signed petition sheets. Voters have the right to sign or decline to sign any petition and may ask to read the full text before signing.
Although the AG’s office lacks authority to initiate criminal cases on its own, it can assist when local prosecutors make referrals.
As of June 9, Let’s Go Washington had collected more than 242,699 signatures for Initiative 26-645. The group must submit at least 308,911 valid signatures by the July 2 deadline to qualify the measure for the November ballot. Organizers have said they are aiming higher to account for invalid signatures.
Author: Mario Lotmore
