1997 Washington Initiative 676

Initiative 676 was an unsuccessful Washington state ballot initiative concerning firearms regulation that appeared on the ballot for the November 1997 elections.

The initiative was filed on February 3, 1997, by Thomas C. Wales of Seattle, who later became a victim of gun violence himself. 239,805 signatures were collected to qualify it for the ballot.

Ballot title
The ballot title was as follows: "Shall the transfer of handguns without trigger-locking devices be prohibited and persons possessing or acquiring a handgun be required to obtain a handgun safety license?"

Support
Many physicians and medical associations expressed support, claiming it would decrease gun accidents especially in children. William H. Gates, the father of Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, donated $150,000 towards the passage of Initiative 676. Bill and Melinda Gates earlier contributed $35,000 to the cause. The Washington Citizens for Handgun Safety raised $575,658 by September 1997.

Opposition
Snohomish County Sheriff Rick Bart was opposed, voicing concerns about the strain the passage of the initiative could put on law enforcement, and excessive punishments for violations.

Ameripac, a federal-level political action committee, contributed $100,000 to opposing Initiative 676. Gun rights organizations, including the National Rifle Association of America, contributed more than $2.3 million in opposition to the measure.

Results
Despite polling indicating voters almost exactly split, the initiative overwhelmingly failed to pass, and was rejected in every single county. The highest percentage voting yes was San Juan County at 45.1%.