They want us to vote on whether we can vote:

Today members of the group Seattle Citizens Against the Tunnel (SCAT) are filing an initiative petition with the City of Seattle that will force a public vote on the Alaskan Way Deep Bored Tunnel Project. SCAT will need 20,692 valid signatures in order to put the initiative on the ballot. SCAT organizers have six months to collect enough signatures once the City approves the form of the initiative and provides a title for it, however they are planning on halving that time in order to get the initiative on the ballot as soon as possible.

The rest of the press release is after the jump. Oddly, it doesn't explain what the initiative says, exactly. Just that it "will force a public vote on the Alaskan Way Deep Bored Tunnel Project." This is the group—really called SCAT—run by Elizabeth Campbell, a viaduct-rebuild advocate who also ran for mayor last year. There are rumors that a second initiative could be filed by a different group of folks. I'm off work today, so wake me up when this is all over.

SCAT will be using a number of methods for gathering signatures, using unattended signing kiosks - all weather A-frame easels that will be set out in key 2007 tunnel/elevated vote neighborhoods, signing boards placed at select businesses, downloadable petitions that will be available through the SCAT website, and personal signature gatherers. The group does not plan on using paid signature gatherers.

Veteran monorail initiative promoter Dick Falkenbury will be in charge of organizing the placement and administration of the kiosks and signing boards.

Richard Stephens of Groen, Stephens & Klinge LLP authored the initiative for SCAT. GSK has been the counsel of record for many initiative and referendum processes in Washington state.

Copies of the petition will be available this morning at 10:00 AM at City Clerk's Office.

The final initiative petitions will be available for signing/signature gathering after the City of Seattle Clerk assigns a number to the inititiative, approves the petition’s format, and provides a title for the initiative. SCAT will announce the completion and results of that review as soon as that occurs, and then when and where petitions will be available.