Voice for Equality: Greg Nickels

Greg Nickels is the current mayor of Seattle, Washington. Nickels attended the University of Washington before becoming the legislative assistant to Seattle City Councilman Norm Rice. In 1987, Nickels first won his seat on the Seattle City Council. He was reelected to that seat three more times before becoming mayor of Seattle in 2001. He was again reelected in 2005.

Mayor Nickels is a strong supporter of environmental issues and has begun the construction of the city’s light rail system as well as stopped the use of snow salt when it could harm local endangered species. He has also been an active advocate for gay rights. In 2004, Greg made headlines when he signed an executive order that gave city employees equal marital rights regardless of the couple’s genders. He also currently is the Vice President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which adopted a pro-marriage equality resolution in June.

Nickels is an opponent of Washington’s proposed Referendum 71, which would remove domestic partnership rights that the state recently expanded. On July 27th Mayor Nickels posted to his twitter that he is, “hoping R-71 doesn’t qualify and is ready to continue to fight for marriage equality!”

Freedom to Marry salutes Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels as a Voice for Equality!

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