OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — New Census data shows that Washington state has seen a surge in households led by declared same-sex couples.
That growth comes as the gay community prepares to push for marriage rights around the state. Democratic state Sen. Ed Murray says he’s not sure whether the state Senate will have the votes to pass gay marriage in 2012, but he projects that gay marriage in Washington will come in the next few years.
Activists and lawmakers are currently strategizing how and when to best push the issue.
Census figures show that the number of same-sex partners grew by 50 percent over the past decade, with growth coming particularly in areas outside Seattle.
