By Martin Gibbins, Second Vice President, LWV of Washington

As public life continues to be influenced by partisanship, questions continue on how League members and organizations promote public policy in a nonpartisan way and protect their tax-exempt status.

Most local Leagues in Washington are organized as a tax-exempt social welfare organization under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 501(c)4. These organizations can't operate for profit and must work exclusively to promote social welfare.* They can engage in lobbying if it supports the mission and they can participate in nonpartisan political campaigns. 

Several local Leagues also have a 501(c)3 arm that focuses on voter information and education. This structure lets them accept tax-deductible donations.** Leagues are encouraged to use these charitable contributions to support advocacy work that isn't lobbying. A 501(c)3 can usually use up to 20% of their budget to conduct lobbying,*** but the LWVUS chooses not to lobby out of 501(c)3 and recommends all lobbying occur in the 501(c)4 side. Whether a local League operates under 501(c)3 or 501(c)4, its political activity must stay nonpartisan.

The LWVUS defines advocacy as arguing for or against a cause or supporting and recommending a position. Lobbying means an attempt to influence specific legislation with communication from the organization’s representatives or members directly to legislators or influential government officials.****

How this works in practice
The LWVWA maintains a Lobby Team made up of issue chairs appointed by the Board of Directors. This team communicates directly with state legislators about policy and pending legislation, and this work falls under the LWVWA 501(c)4 status.

When tabling, Leagues may hand out nonpartisan information sheets describing their policy positions. The safest approach at every level is to explain the League's position through an information sheet or issue paper — without telling voters how to vote on that issue. Local League leaders should approve the distribution of any flyers or information sheets distributed at League events. And Leagues should never, under any circumstances, tell voters how to vote on a candidate.

Taking a League approach requires thinking carefully and acting deliberately. (Read more about nonpartisan political activity↗️.)

LWVUS webinars: Operating as a nonpartisan organization
There is a two-part webinar series. View Part 1↗️ and Part 2↗️. There is also an organization structure available from an April 2026 LWV Board Orientation webinar:

501(c)(3)

501(c)(4)

*IRS definition: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/other-non-profits/social-welfare-organizations 

**IRS definition: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exemption-requirements-501c3-organizations 

***IRS, Lobbying Activity Expenditure Test: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/measuring-lobbying-activity-expenditure-test 

****LWVUS, Advocacy vs. Lobbying: https://www.lwv.org/league-management/advocacy/defining-advocacy-vs-lobbying 

A map of the legislative districts that were changed in 2024. This map could be changed back to districts similar to the 2022 maps.

By Alison McCaffree, Democracy Issue Chair, LWV of Washington

As of the morning of June 9, Washington state residents await a United States Supreme Court decision that could mean another change in legislative districts. A decision on a writ of certiorari, (Latin meaning “send us the files”) was due June 2. 

The case, and the current legislative map, was the subject of the lawsuit Soto Palmer v Hobbs that was settled in August 2024. Opponent’s petition to the Supreme Court came after the Ninth Circuit upheld the maps in August 2026. On May 26, 2026, a federal judge denied opponent’s request to re-open the case in light of the recent Louisiana v Callais decision. The district judge said wait for the SCOTUS decision on cert. 

A brief from the original plaintiffs (Soto Palmer, et al.) laid out the reasons that the opponents should not be able to file this claim. They emphasize that remedy maps were not created predominantly on race. They conclude that cert should be denied. 

Lawyers for Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs sent in a brief reminding the court that Washington state did not appeal the Ninth court decision and believes that the case should be sent back to the Ninth Circuit to take up the case again in the light of the conclusions in Louisiana v Callais. 

There are three possible outcomes:

1. SCOTUS denies cert and affirms the lower court ruling.
   This would be the best outcome for voters and would result in less chaos. The maps would stand for 2026 – 2030, until the 2030 Census numbers trigger the next round of map drawing in January 2031. Given the tenor of the court, this outcome is unlikely. 
   
   
2. SCOTUS denies cert and sends to Ninth Circuit to reconsider.
   This reconsider process will take time. It would most likely leave the maps for this year’s elections but opens the possibility of changing maps before 2028 or 2030. Given that Washington state is recommending this action, this is the most likely outcome; but no one knows for sure.
   
   
3. SCOTUS takes up the case.
   If the US Supreme Court decides to take the Soto Palmer case, it would have the first opportunity to do so when it reconvenes its next session between October 2026 and June 2027. This would also create the possibility of new maps before 2028 or 2030.

Whatever the decision, the uncertainty created is not good governance. The LWVWA supports a new type of redistricting commission that would put people first and minimize the chances of these types of lawsuits. Find more information on our redistricting webpage.

By Barb Tengtio, Immediate Past President, LWV Seattle King County

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization whose purpose is to promote the informed and active participation of citizens in government. Our mission is to empower voters and defend democracy.

At our core, nonpartisanship is not just a policy — it’s a bedrock principle that defines who we are at the League of Women Voters. As a membership organization committed to empowering voters and defending democracy, we do not support or oppose political parties or candidates. Our focus has always been, and will continue to be, on the issues that matter to our communities: ensuring fair elections, protecting voting rights, and strengthening our democratic institutions.

Our foundational principle of nonpartisanship states that, 'The League shall not support or oppose any political party or any candidate.' Nonpartisan does not mean non-political; issues are not partisan. The League is and has always been a political organization, advocating for equitable voting access for all and working on vital issues of concern to our members and the public.

The League’s advocacy work is issues-based, and we arrive at our policy positions through careful study and input from our members. We never derive our positions from politicians,and even when candidates or parties support the same issue, we never endorse them. You can find League's positions here.

We provide voters with information on where candidates stand on key issues, host nonpartisan forums, and work to ensure every eligible voter has access to the ballot. Our goal is to empower voters with facts, not to tell them who to vote for.

Once individuals are elected, they are no longer just candidates — they are public servants, responsible for representing all their constituents, regardless of party. Holding elected officials accountable to the public interest is not a partisan act; it is a vital function of a healthy democracy. When we advocate for or against policies based on our mission and values, we are doing so from our commitment to issues and strengthening civil institutions — not out of allegiance to any political party. In essence, we are pushing for action on voting rights, democracy protection, and other key areas, without favor or bias.

Remaining nonpartisan does not mean staying silent. When democracy itself is under threat, when voter access is restricted, or when misinformation spreads, we have a responsibility to speak out — clearly and forcefully.

For over a hundred years, League of Women Voters has worked to empower voters and defend democracy. We continue to envision a democracy where every person has the desire, the right, the knowledge, and the confidence to participate.

The LWVWA and the 70-member Washington Newspaper Publishers Association have launched a campaign of letters to the editor and op-ed submissions to drive home the message that local news is vital to our democracy.

The project, titled “250 Years of the First Freedom,” makes use of local newspapers and outlets to remind Washingtonians what the First Amendment is for, why a free press matters, and why an informed public is the precondition for everything else a democracy is supposed to do.

The campaign launches as the nation begins its commemoration of its 250^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Like the press itself, “The League has informed voters, scrutinized government, hosted candidate forums and refused to let the public lose track of what its representatives are doing,” said Ellen Hiatt, executive director of the WNPA. 

Hiatt said that shared purpose boosts the credibility of the League and makes its members the perfect candidates for submitting letters to the editor about the value of local news and the importance of supporting a free press.

Hiatt went on to say that, like the League, local newspapers “are not just nice-to-have. They are how self-government actually happens at the county and city scale.”

The LWVWA approved the project as part of the organizations' strong support for local news. “As the state League’s study, ‘The Decline of Local News and Its Impact on Democracy↗️,’ showed us, robust local news coverage is critical to having healthy communities and a true democracy,” state President Karen Crowley said. 

Local Leagues through the state have agreed to submit letters to the editors of their local news outlets beginning in June through the calendar year, focusing on the link between a free press and democracy. Local League presidents recently received guidance about how their members can participate in the effort.

Crowley said she and local League presidents also will submit op-ed essays detailing why the League supports local news and encouraging others to do so.

Additional information is also available from program coordinators Kate Hobbie, krhobbie@gmail.com , and Dee Anne Finken, dfinken@lwvwa.org .

WNPA membership stretches across the state, from the Newport Miner in the Pend Oreille River Valley in eastern Washington to the Chinook Observer along the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach. Its members range in size from the Seattle Times to the tiny Grandview Herald.

The League has been a strong advocate for Sen. Marko Liias’ legislation seeking a nominal surcharge on search engines and social media giants to address the crisis that they have played a role in creating.

The project is titled “250 Years of the First Freedom” and it uses local newspapers and outlets to remind Washingtonians what the First Amendment is for, why a free press matters and why an informed public is the precondition for everything else a democracy is supposed to do.

Below is a list of the latest LWVUS actions related to resisting threats to democracy: 

Intervening in lawsuits to protect voter roll data across the country: Utah, Oklahoma, Kentucky:

The SAVE America Act continued to be on the floor of the US Senate late March—

and the Senate voted on several amendments to the bill. This includes an amendment to add strict voter ID measures to the legislation and a ban on the participation of transgender people in sports.

The Senate recessed without voting on cloture on the bill. They can bring it back up for debate when they return from recess.

Please use the resources below to oppose this bill:

The LWVWA stands with Washington State Secretary of State Hobbs of State and Attorney General Brown and many others in fighting to protect our mail-in voting. States across the American West rely on mail-in voting, and Washington state has utilized vote-by-mail for every election since 2012 (See the Seattle Times Article here).  There is no evidence of widespread fraud and mail-in voting increases access to the ballot for millions of Washingtonians.

Nationally, the League of Women Voters has joined a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s March 31 executive order.  The plaintiffs and their counsel said, “This executive order is an illegal and dangerous attempt by the Trump administration to eliminate accessible voting options and subvert our democracy by seizing control of election administration from the states and Congress. If implemented, it would disenfranchise eligible voters across the nation.”

IL26-126 is now IP26-500. On February 2, Representative Jim Walsh submitted the next version of an initiative that would add burdensome requirements to the voter registration rules. IP26-500 is an initiative to people that must get over 309K signatures by July 2 to be placed on the ballot in November 2026. The previous effort, IL26-126, failed to gather enough signatures by January 2026.

IP26-500 is Similar to the SAVE America Act
While the U.S. Senate is home for a break, the vote for the SAVE America Act in on hold, however the vote suppression tactics continue in Washington state with IP26-500. Both proposals aim to address voting processes and election security, but actual make it harder for eligible voters to vote. The SAVE America Act, short for "Safeguard American Voter Eligibility," proposes measures that impact how voters are registered and verified.

Washington State Secretary of State Hobbs talks about the expensive of implementation of the SAVE America Act changes. Many of the previsions are like the ones required in IP26-500.

In his statement, Hobbs, says the SAVE Act could affect nearly 900,000 voters.  A preliminary analysis prepared by the Office of the Secretary of State and the Washington Association of County Auditors estimates that the cost for the 2026 midterms would increase by between $35.7 and $39.3 million. Money the state has not budgeted. 

The Fact is Noncitizens Are Not Voting. Mail-In Voting IS Safe and Tested
Despite claims by supporters of IP26-500, the incidence of noncitizens voting in Washington is miniscule.  Mail-in voting is deeply rooted in the United States, having been successfully used for more than 150 years.

Who would IP26-500 Impact Most?

• The nearly 3 out of 4 Washingtonians without an enhanced driver's license.
  
  
• The roughly 38% of Washingtonians without a valid passport.
  
  
• About 1.6 million Washington women whose current name does not match the one on their birth certificate because they changed their name when they married. The LWV confirmed in a recent study that more women vote, then men and therefore could be disproportionately affected. 
  
  
• Washingtonians with mobility issues or who live in rural areas with limited access to transportation.
  
  
• Working Washingtonians who cannot take time off from their jobs to wait in line at a government office to present the required documentation.
  
  
• Washingtonians who never had a certified birth certificate to begin with, or who do not have access to it. The Brennan Center for Justice documented that millions of Americans don’t have documents proving their Citizenship readily available. 
  
  
• Washingtonians who can't afford the fees required to get the required documentation.

Join the Effort to Make Sure IP26-500 Doesn't Go to the Ballot

• Tell friends and neighbors about this bad proposed initiative.
  
  
• If you see signature gathering, please let us know—but do not interfere with the signature collection.
  
  
• If you belong to an organization that would like to join the effort, please have them submit a sign-up form on the IP26-500 webpage. 
  
  

Find more information on the League's efforts to defeat this initiative on the IP26-500 webpage. Unnecessary administrative burdens, and the risk of disenfranchising eligible voters is not worth it. The LWVWA believes it will undermine the integrity and accessibility of Washington’s election system. Decline to Sign IP26-500.