Two initiatives regarding guns are on the November general election ballot. Neither will end gun violence in our society. But one of them – I-594 — at least has a chance to make people and cities safer. Voters should say Yes to I-594.

A similar measure — I-591 — should be rejected.

I-594 is not a radical move on guns and gun ownership.

Today, if you go into a licensed gun shop or other licensed retailer that sells guns, you must pass a criminal background check before you take possession of the weapon. I-594 simply extends that requirement to private gun sales, including those sold at gun shows or over the internet.

Doing that will help keep guns out of the hands of criminals, those with severe mental illness or who are domestic abusers.

Background checks work to keep us safe. Nationwide, such checks have blocked 2.2 million gun sales to prohibited people. Even better, in states where background checks required on all gun sales, 38 percent fewer women are shot to death by their partners and 39 fewer fewer police officers are killed with handguns.

I-594 isn’t draconian. You still will be able to give a gun as a gift to a family member. You also could loan someone one of your guns when it’s needed for self-defense.

That said, I-594 won’t end gun violence. Criminals may get their hands on guns — after all, they’re criminals. But I-594 will make that harder for them, which means life will be safer for us.

The other measure, I-591, would make us wait for tighter regulations until Congress acts to do this on a national level. That’s unlikely to happen since the National Rifle Association opposes this and has too much influence on too many of those in Congress.

Vote Yes on I-594. You’ll sleep more safely, and so will your neighbors.

— Craig Groshart, Bellevue Reporter