‘Save Our Vote’ Continues Fight for DC Tipped Workers following Court Ruling

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Contact: Josh Glasstetter

‘Save Our Vote’ Continues Fight for DC Tipped Workers following Court Ruling

WASHINGTON – The Save Our Vote referendum committee will continue to work to reinstate Initiative 77 despite a DC Superior Court judge’s ruling today against the DC Board of Elections (BOE). The lawsuit was filed by the restaurant association on behalf of Valerie Graham and was intended as a delay tactic to reduce the amount of time available for Referendum 8 supporters to collect signatures. Today’s decision effectively placed legal technicalities above the democratic process.

“The people of DC will not be silenced by the restaurant association’s legal tactics,” said Rev. Graylan Hagler, Senior Pastor of Plymouth United Church of Christ. “This month, DC voters signed petitions in record time to give the people the final say on Initiative 77. The people of DC proved for all to see in June that they want One Fair Wage in this city. We won’t stop fighting until it has been restored.”

Despite the restaurant association’s best efforts to block the referendum process, Save Our Vote collected and successfully submitted well over the required 25,800 signatures to put Referendum 8 on the ballot. Today’s ruling prevents the Board of Elections from processing the signatures of thousands of DC voters who wanted their voices to be heard.

“Democracy in the District of Columbia has been shaken by Congress, big business interests and most recently, DC Council,” said ROC-DC organizer Candace Cunningham. “We will continue to pursue all available avenues to restore the democratic process in DC, both inside and outside the courts. We are committed to advancing the interests of tipped workers in DC, who would benefit across the board from Initiative 77.”

# # #