Voters of Washington stood up for the rights of terminally ill individuals and passed the Washington Death with Dignity Act - 58.68% (yes) to 41.32% (no).

15 years ago, Oregon voters changed the entire debate about end-of-life care. After surviving repeal efforts, legal challenges that went all the way to the Supreme Court and efforts by the Bush Administration to shut down the law, we have shown that our law in Oregon works, just as it will work in Washington. We have shown that people can have control over the end of their lives in a dignified, safe way that has improved end-of-life care from pain control to hospice.

Now, the real winners are people who will face a terminal illness knowing that they have control, knowing that they can decide when it is the right time for them to end their suffering. And tonight, we honor those brave people who fought so long for this right, but died before seeing their efforts come to fruition.

Change never comes easy. This is the first major advancement in the death with dignity movement since the US Supreme Court ruled against the Bush Administration in 2006. We will continue to move forward as people from other states decide they want a law and are willing to work for one in their state. The Death with Dignity National Center will stand with them, just as we did here in Washington, and as we did 14 years ago in Oregon.

Thank you to everyone who supported this campaign.

Read the historical timeline of the Washington Death with Dignity Initiative.

The Death with Dignity National Center and Oregon Death with Dignity Political Action Fund contributions to the Washington campaign.

Below are some useful links:

• You can read the Washington Department of Health's Death with Dignity Law usage statistics.
• Here is what the Washington voters will see on their Ballot Title.
• Complete text of the Washington Initiative.