Well—that was unexpected. A change at the top of the ticket in the presidential race turns out to be big news. But what does it mean for the League of Women Voters? This is what I was asked earlier this week. My answer: we must work harder than ever to take advantage of the attention this draws to the November ballot.

We in the League know that there are many, many important races that will be decided—in the August 6 primary and the November 5th election. We also know that voter turnout is greatest when there's a presidential election at the top of the ballot. We want to take advantage of this opportunity to bring voters into the body politic and find a home for getting the information they need to cast an informed ballot. Every League member and friend can help. Here are resources for you, your friends and family. Please help get the word out!

Vote411
Vote411.org is League's personalized voter guide. The ballot can be overwhelming. Voters enter their home address—no matter their physical location—and see who is on their ballot. They will see a job description for each race. There is voting information with important deadlines. Voters hear directly from candidates; they answer questions in their own words. League volunteers reached out to the over 600 candidates running for positions in Washington state. Just under 300 have responded. And VOTE411 is a national platform. While not all states cover every race, each state has much good information on VOTE411. If you have friends and family elsewhere, let them know! Vote411 is a trusted source and a great way to get an overview of voting decisions.

Candidate Forums
When people think of the League of Women Voters, many think of candidate forums and registering voters. Here in Washington state, at both the state and local level, League volunteers are hosting candidate forums. The state League website, LWVWA.org, has links to all of the statewide forums: Attorney General, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Commissioner of Public Lands—and more to come. Leagues do these forums very well. With guidance from LWVUS, our forums and debates have improved and become more recognized. Fun fact: at the recent Commissioner for Public Lands forum, we learned from the candidates that the League forum is the only one they had been to where all candidates were present. Many thanks to Shelley Kneip for her excellent work in making this happen!

Many local forums for congressional and legislative seats are also in the works. Check your local League website to find out what's going on. You will be amazed at the many opportunities for voters to connected with the people who seek to represent them.

Initiatives
Three statewide initiatives will appear on the November ballot:

• I-2109—Repeal the capital gains excise tax imposed on long-term capital assets by individuals with capital gains over $250,000.
• I-2117—Prohibit carbon tax credit trading and repeal provisions of the 2021 Washington Climate Commitment Act (CCA), a state law that provided for a cap and invest program designed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 95% by 2050.
• I-2124—Allow employees and self-employed individuals to opt out of the state's long-term services and supports trust health care program.

The League is approaching these initiatives from two angles. From an advocacy angle: LWVWA Board of Directors has taken a position against all of these initiatives. There will be articles about them in upcoming editions of the Evergreen Voter and the member newsletter, In League. The articles will discuss the League position and why we urge voters to reject them. Our positions on the initiatives are based on the positions League arrived at after study and member consensus and rest on member understanding.

At the same time, League has a duty to serve voters and provide them with the information they need to cast an informed ballot. How do we navigate this dual role? First and foremost, it's important to know which effort is at play. LWV of the United States has provided guidance. Check here for specific information.

In its Voter Services role, LWVWA is working to prepare simplified ballot summaries of the initiatives. These one-pagers provide a quick overview of each initiative, including pros and cons. Look for these later in the summer/early fall. If capacity allows, they will be printed in other languages.

Social Media
Social media is a great way to educate the public about elections and tools for becoming an informed voter. Please follow LWVWA social media, as well as other Leagues including your local League and the national League. This helps promote our voter resources, and is a lot of fun!

Voter Registration
Many local Leagues are tabling at events in their communities. More than voter registration, tabling provides an opportunity to reach out directly to voters and offer tools and resources so they can cast an informed electorate. Please check your local League's website to learn more about events, and how you can help.

LWVUS Statement
What about the change at the top of the Democratic Party's ticket. Yes—it means increased attention to the election. The League is nonpartisan, so how things play out with respect to candidates is not in our wheelhouse. Election rules and free and fair elections are. Please take a look at the LWVUS statement. You will see reference there to National Task Force on Election Crises. LWVUS is a member. You may want to bookmark this site to keep abreast of developments. You can also keep informed by checking the LWVUS' blog post on the topic.

President Biden Withdraws from Reelection | League of Women Voters (lwv.org)

Kind Regards,

Mary C

The LWVWA, along with local Leagues across the state, have been working hard to get the League's one-stop-election-shop updated for the 2024 Primary Election. We are pleased to announce that Vote411.org is now live with updated information! Vote411 is a personalized voter guide that is available to voters across the country. Information for all of the races in Washington state are included.

July 19 was the start of the 18-day voting period in Washington state and voters should return their ballots (either by mail or in an official ballot drop box) by 8PM on August 6.

League volunteers across the state reached out to 687 candidates in Washington with a questionnaire crafted to help voters get the information they need to fill out their ballots. The candidates' answers to these questionnaires are in their own words and available to be viewed by voters on Vote411. Each race also includes a job description so voters can see the responsibilities that come with the position these candidates are vying for. More general voting information—like deadlines, registration options, and more—are also available at Vote411.org.

Voters simply need to enter their address to instantly learn which races will be on their ballot, to view the candidates in each race, and to compare how candidates answered the questions posed to them by the LWVWA. League volunteers will continue to update responses from candidates as they come in. Candidates who have not already done so are encouraged to complete and submit the League's questionnaire.

A version of Vote411 translated into Spanish is also available at https://www.vote411.org/es.

This month we're bringing you another essay by a writer with lived experience of the criminal legal system. In an article titled "When My Son Was Arrested for Trying to Join ISIS, I Knew the Deeper Culprit," incarcerated journalist Raymond Williams describes the pain of being in prison while learning that his son, Hunter, had just been arrested. No parent wishes to hear that their child has been arrested. But such news is especially hard when you hear it from a prison cell.

Raymond takes the reader along the course of his life, giving an analysis of how incarceration reduces the life chances of children living with incarcerated parents. He describes the impact of labeling theory—a theory that notes how children adapt, often taking on the identities and behaviors presented by the adults around them—as a mechanism pushing some children towards prison.

This article challenges the notions and ideologies assuming people in prison cannot, or should not, have a relationship with their children. Raymond points out that the child and incarcerated parent are left without recourse when the free parent wishes to keep the child from the incarcerated parent. This article points out that a lack of process—or access—to legal recourse does not allow for the interests of the child to fairly be considered.

As Raymond describes, keeping a parent from a child due to incarceration can have devastating impacts. In this instance, it led to Hunter trying to join ISIS, and Raymond crying in his cell.

Raymond has also shared a bonus long-form piece with us. "In Washington State, Prison Closure Divides Abolitionist Community" describes the debate within the prison abolition community over the closing of the Washington state reformatory.

Raymond Williams, 44, is an incarcerated journalist sentenced to death by prison under the Washington 3-strikes law. He is a leader in the Concerned Lifers' Organization. Raymond is a Marvel Cooke fellow with writing featured in Slate, Jewish Currents, and the Seattle Times. Follow him @raywilliams80, or email him directly through securustech.net (Raymond Williams #767974, Washington Corrections Center).

Washington’s Primary Election Day is August 6, 2024—that may seem like it's far off, but it'll be here before we know it!

The League of Women Voters of Washington, as well as local Leagues across the state, have been (and will continue to be) holding primary candidate forums and other opportunities for voters to hear directly from the candidates on their ballots. Local Leagues are also hard at work updating Vote411.org, a comprehensive one-stop-shop for aiding voters in everything from registering to vote to providing the info they need to cast an informed, empowered ballot.

The rest of this article will be a collection of candidate forum and other voter resources to help you get prepared for the August Primary.

View the recordings of previous LWVWA candidate forums:

• Commissioner of Public Lands Candidate Forum
  
• WA Attorney General
• WA Superintendent of Public Instruction

View a calendar with the currently scheduled local League candidate forums here.*
*Check back often as this page is updated!

To check in with a specific local League to see their forums and other opportunities to hear from the candidates, click on the local League below:

• Bellingham/Whatcom County
• Benton/Franklin Counties
• Clallam County
• Clark County
  
• Jefferson County Unit-at-Large
  
• Kitsap County
  
• Kittitas County
  
• Klickitat/Skamania Unit-at-Large
  
• Mason County
  
• Pullman Area
  
• San Juans
  
• Seattle/King County
  
• Snohomish County
  
• Spokane Area
  
• Tacoma/Pierce County
  
• Thurston County
  
• Whidbey Island
  
• Yakima County
  

by Loretta Seppanen, LWV Thurston County

This year, members of the LWV Thurston County hosted a session at the LWVWA Council. The session centered around a recording of a reader's theater performance of LWV Thurston's Untold Story Project and a facilitated discussion about the performance and the project's focus.

The Thurston League created the script for the Untold Story Project performance from the speech and commentary in the book The Untold Story of Women of Color in the League of Women Voters by Dr. Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins—who served as the 15th President of LWVUS and Chair of the LWVUS Education Fund. The Untold Story Project brought to the stage the history of the League of Women Voters' systematic disregard for concerns of women of color.

The performance featured a narrator and a reader who weaved together six decades of US history with the words from Jefferson-Jenkins' book. Additional performers added the voices of Black and White women activists—including, suffrage campaigners Josephine St. Pierrer Ruffin and Belle Kearney; past League presidents Percy Maxim Lee and Ruth Philips; and contemporary Black activists Gloria Marquez and Marian Wright Edleman. The perspective of women of color in the League by mid-20th century media was presented by a male reader who joined the eight women performing on stage.

After the presentation of the Untold Story Project performance at the 2024 LWVWA Council, a thoughtful and forward-looking discussion was had. Some of the White participants expressed chagrin at the portions of League history covered in the project, and some of the participants of color share their uncertainties about the benefits of participation in the League. All of the participants affirmed the value of talking openly about the League's history. As one participant said, "We cannot undo the past. And if we do not study and acknowledge that past, we are destined to repeat it."

Participants also shared ways local Leagues had successfully connected with people of color, or how they could better connect with them, while recognizing a common commitment to civic education and voter participation. A prevalent theme was that local Leagues can weave their own activities with the work of local groups already representing communities of color. This collaboration strengthens the actions of the League as well as other groups. Local Latino coalitions, various Asian and Pacific Islander organizations, organizations for immigrants, tribal nations, and the Urban League and NAACP Chapters were some of the groups brought up who are actively doing work in the same areas as the League.

The Untold Story Project began a year ago, as members of LWV Thurston's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Committee began to envision the project. Their work started by shaping a 20-minute script from Jefferson-Jenkins' book. The group also recognized that, while the Thurston League does have members of color, we needed to reach outside of our membership to really put the voice and vision of women of color at the front and center of this project. I feel privileged to have worked with sixteen other community members on this project—which includes the cast, the script writing group, and those who worked behind the scenes. The team included ten people of color, a majority of those involved with the project.

As a White woman, I volunteered to read one of the script's three White speakers. The other cast members were Michelle Gipson (our narrator), Kyrian MacMichael (our reader), Tanya Smith-Brice, Annie Cubberly, Charles Holloway, Brenda Paull, Sholanda Akins, and Jan Holloway. We especially appreciated Dawn Young's stage directing (Standing Room Only Theater in Yelm) and Lisa Sandall's visuals reflecting the League's history. LWV Thurston Board Member Nicole Miller facilitated the discussion at the live reader's theater production in February and at the Council session. I also appreciate the increased connection I feel to the diverse community where I live because of the opportunity to participate in this League activity.

The League of Women Voters of Washington is asking voters to vote NO on three Initiatives that will be on the ballot in November. These Initiatives include:

• I-2109—Repeal the capital gains excise tax;
• I-2117—Prohibit carbon tax credit trading and repeal provisions of the 2021 Washington Climate Commitment Act; and
• I-2124—Allow all employees and self-employed individuals to opt out of paying for and receiving benefits from the WA Cares Long-Term Care program.

By voting NO on these three Initiatives, you are voting to retain the programs these initiatives would affect.

Further information about these programs can be found below:

The Capital Gains Tax
This measure applies only to long-term capital assets with capital gains over $250,000. There are very few people in Washington State to whom this applies. The tax generates millions of dollars for education. The first $500 million supports the State's public education system; the remaining balance helps to fund school construction and maintenance. WA State is obligated, by the State's Constitution, to provide ample funding for education—this capital gains tax, collected from a very small number of people, helps to ensure the state can meet this obligation.

The League's position on this capital gains tax stems from its support for public education and for creating a more equitable tax structure. For more information, or to identify a speaker on this topic, contact Cynthia Stewart, LWVWA Revenue Issue Chair.

The Climate Commitment Act (CCA)
The CCA is a very complex law that helps Washington State respond to the climate crisis. It enables WA to generate funding for increasing energy efficiency, reducing pollution, restoring the environment, creating programs that provide environmental justice in marginalized communities, and repairing certain transportation infrastructures. It generates this funding through a system of auctioning allowances for carbon emissions while reducing the level of allowable emissions over time.

The League's position on this comes from extensive climate-related policies, including consistency with the best available climate science, reducing emissions, addressing the long-term impacts of climate change on public health, accelerating the shift to cleaner, more energy-efficient sources, and more. For more information or to identify a speaker on this topic, contact Martin Gibbons, LWVWA Climate Crisis Issue Chair.

The WA Cares Act
This program allows employees to receive long-term care services through deposits of employee payroll taxes over a period of time, which are then invested for future use. The program was initiated because so many people cannot afford private long-term care services, even though over 70% of the population eventually needs them. If many people drop out of this program, it could not accrue enough future funds through investment gains to provide the long-term care services when they are needed. This would cost taxpayers more in the future through increased personal and Medicaid expenses.

The League's support for this program comes from its position that total health care system expenditures should be controlled, and universal access to affordable health services—with seamless coverage regardless of one's health status—should be provided. For more information or to identify a speaker on this topic, contact Cynthia Stewart, LWVWA Revenue Chair or Karen Tvedt, LWVWA Elder Care Study Leader.

The LWVWA Environment Affinity Group will hold a one-hour webinar on Thursday, July 11 at 7:00 PM to discuss forest management on public lands in Washington State. Attendees are asked to register for the webinar here.

The webinar aims to educate League members, at the public, on forests management so policy can be evaluated for the protection of mature forests. Dr. Paula Swedeen, Senior Policy Director at Conservation Northwest, will be the speaker. Dr. Swedeen will also talk about the work of Conservation Northwest and answer questions from the audience.

Dr. Swedeen's work at Conservation Northwest spans beyond her role as Senior Policy Director and also includes serving as the organization's point person at the WA State Capitol; directing their State Forest Lands and Cascades to Olympics conservation programs; and working on the recovery of marbled murrelets and wolves. Dr. Swedeen also serves on WA State's Wolf Advisory Group.

The LWVWA has resolved to protect mature forests on public lands in Washington, based on positions from the LWVWA Program in Action 2021-2023 (pg. 32-33).Conservation Northwest was founded in Bellingham, Washington in 1998 to conserve local wildlands and wildlife. Their mission is to protect, connect, and restore wildlands and wildlife from the Washington Coast to the British Columbian Rockies. The organization works closely with the WA State Department of Natural Resources, WA State Department of Fish and Wildlife, forestry companies, and other organizations to promote ecological management and resilience on state forest lands, including State Trust Lands.

Dr. Paula Swedeen, Ph.D, has worked on habitat conservation issues around the Pacific Northwest for 24 years, and even previously served on Conservation Northwest's Board in the early 90's. She worked for 12 years as a wildlife biologist and endangered species policy analyst with the WA Department of Fish and Wildlife and the WA Department of Natural Resources. Her recent work involves creating markets and ecosystem service payments to incentivize better habitat conditions on private lands where regulatory reach is limited. Dr. Swedeen has a B.S. in Biology from Indiana University, Masters degrees in Environmental Studies and Political Science from Western Washington University, and a Ph.D in Interdisciplinary Studies, with an emphasis on Ecological Economics, from the Union Institute.

By JPT, B-Toons Artist

There is no error of circumstance, no drug, and certainly no trauma that could ever change a person's first and most permanent identity: human. Yet, people experiencing homelessness in Burien have had their dignity stripped away to such an extent that a casual observer might think that they were mere insects under Burien's leather boot.  It was therefore my great pleasure to interview and share the stories of people trapped in Burien's homeless-hostile landscape in an endeavor to remind readers of the B-Town Blog that they are and will always be human. Human, and owed all the basic dignity inherent to the condition, no matter how much money they make. 
 
I hope that the simple things—food, water, and shelter do not evade less-fortunate Burienites any longer. 

These experiences and interviews come from the perspective of those in Burien, but the related issues of high housing costs  and homelessness are a significant problem throughout the state of Washington. Learn more about the LWVWA's work on the issues of housing and homelessness here.

By Shelley Kneip, LWVWA Director

On May 20, the LWVWA sponsored a public forum to hear from candidates seeking election to the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). The forum was held at Ridgeline High School in Liberty Lake, and candidates answered questions posed by the area's high school students.

The three candidates in attendance were David Olson, Chris Reykdal and Reid Saaris—the fourth candidate, John Patterson Blair, could not attend the forum. Central Valley School District graciously provided the new Ridgeline High School auditorium as the venue for the forum and Dr. John Parker, Superintendent of Central Valley School District offered invaluable assistance. The OSPI Candidate Forum was broadcast and recorded by TVW. Members from the LWV of the Spokane Area also provided volunteer assistance for the forum.

As we know, high school students are our future votes, and many students work closely with civics teachers in their senior year to learn how our government works. Teachers encourage students to be informed voters, to understand issues, and to learn more about candidates for office. The LWVWA aims to encourage future voters—especially 17-year-olds who are eligible to vote in the August primaries. The OSPI Candidate Forum provided an incredibly hands-on civics education opportunity for six future voters from Central Valley School District.

The League worked with Brittney Bergman, a civics teach at Ridgeline High School (who is also the school's Civics Bowl Coach and Junior States of America Club Advisor) and some of the students from the area's local high schools. These students included: Jason Cloward, Spokane Valley Tech; Hailee Elkins, Mica Peak High School; Lucy He, Central Valley High School; Gracie Newell and Vivian Van Buren, Ridgeline High School; and Everett Stinson, University High School.

The students studied the requirements for the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction and developed questions for the candidates. The forum was moderated by Renee Radcliff Sinclair, president and CEO of TVW, who called on the students to present their questions to the candidates. The public was also able to submit questions in advance.

Make sure you watch the recording of the OSPI Candidate Forum to see these high school students in action. We know you'll be impressed by these future voters! Our readers are encouraged to share the TVW recording with voters who have not yet seen the forum. Readers can also find more information about the forum and candidates in this piece published in The Spokesman Review.

The LWVWA will be holding another forum for the primary candidates for WA Attorney General. The forum will be held at WSU's Tri-Cities campus in Richland on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 6:30 PM. The forum is open to the public, but seating is limited. Northwest Public Broadcasting will record and air the forum.

The public is invited to submit questions for the candidates here.

By Sarah Philips, LWV Seattle/King County

The Board of the League of Women Voters of Washington voted to OPPOSE Initiative 2117. 

The League of Women Voters—at all its levels—is a nonpartisan organization that does not support candidates or political parties. The League is not apolitical though, and does take positions on Initiatives and referendums at times.

Taking a position to vote NO on Initiative 2117 aligns with the League's state and national positions, as well as our long standing policy positions on climate change.

Initiative 2117 proposes to prohibit enforcing the Climate Commitment Act (CCA).

The CCA was passed by the Washington State Legislature in 2021. The CCA program, effective beginning in 2023, is aimed at reducing the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are warming the planet. This Act generated significant funding for statewide and local efforts to reduce GHG emissions and assist frontline communities to reduce the impact of historic emissions as well as to fund projects that protect our water and air quality.

The CCA raises funds through the sale of pollution credits. The total amount of credits (and thus, allowable emissions) are reduced every year. The law requires the money raised from the sale of credits be invested to reduce emissions and create jobs. In 2023, the sale of pollution credits raised $2.2 billion. These funds are being invested in GHG reduction by reducing the state's dependence on fossil fuels in transportation, buildings, and power generation.