Judge Neil ThomasON THE BALLOTBelow is the ballot question concerning Chattanooga’s same-sex employee benefit policy.”Shall the city of Chattanooga’s ‘domestic partnership’ ordinance (Ordinance No. 12781) be adopted?”• For the ordinance providing for the extension of benefits in domestic partnerships and adding sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to the city’s nondiscrimination policy.• Against the ordinance providing for the extension of benefits in domestic partnerships and adding sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to the city’s nondiscrimination policy.
This morning a circuit court judge ruled the ballot language written on the petition for the domestic partner referendum stands.
Chattanooga objected to the language citing the city should write the question that voters see on the ballot but Judge Neil Thomas ruled in favor of the Hamilton County Election Commission.
Thomas heard an hour and a half of arguments Thursday afternoon from four parties — Chattanooga police Lt. Corliss Cooper and the city vs. the Hamilton County Election Commission and the Citizens for Government Accountability and Transparency.
The argument is over who gets to write a question on the Aug. 7 ballot asking Chattanooga voters whether the city should provide benefits to domestic partners of city employees.