Making Democracy Work® Civic education is at the heart of the League of Women Voters. The League supports civic education as a fundamental principle of our organization. When the League was founded in 1920, it aimed to “help newly enfranchised women exercise their right to vote.” A fundamental aspect of being prepared to vote is to have a basic understanding of the candidates and issues based on facts. The LWVWA supports the expansion and enhancement of civic education for people of all ages and walks of life. Democracy Coordinator: Alison McCaffree, 253-720-6813, amccaffree@lwvwa.org |
Overview of the 2025 Legislative Session Mandatory civic education for high school graduates, which the League helped to pass in 2018, is a continuing requirement. In the 2025 legislative session, the League will support legislation developed with the Criminal Justice issue chair and others that insures more civic engagement and voting in jails and hospitals. The League will support any bills that encourage and enhance people to learn civics.
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Bills The League Supports
HB 1116 Recognizing election day as a holiday.
Makes the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November (Election Day) a “recognized legislative holiday” and directs the Secretary of State to create programming and materials that can be used by state and local governmental entities, schools and cultural organizations to offer educational programming related to democracy and voting. Empowering voters and encouraging citizens to participate in their government and democracy are key missions of the LWV; this legislation is also in line with the League’s goal to encourage more civic education. This bill passed out of the House State Gov’t & Tribal Relations unanimously on January 17.
HB 1147 Supporting civic engagement for incarcerated and institutionalized individuals
Studies show that if people remain connected to their communities, they have a better time being reintroduced to society after incarceration/institutionalization and recidivism is lower. See more information on the Criminal Justice issue page.