The delegates to the LWV of Washington Convention are responsible for helping guide the advocacy program by setting priorities for the upcoming biennium. Each local League elects delegates to the convention, and their opinions express the interests of their members—the grassroots.  

In a recent survey using ranked choice voting, the delegates identified their top five priorities based on the state positions the LWVWA uses to ground its advocacy work. The top five priorities were: 

1. Global climate change: The LWV of the United States' 2019 recommendations—17% marked this as their first choice. 

1. Education: Public education funding and content, early childhood access—10% marked this as their first choice. 

1. Representative government: Campaign finance, election methods and procedures, initiatives and referendums, redistricting, and the state legislature—9% marked this as their first choice. 

1. Housing and the homeless: 8% marked this as their first choice. 

1. Health care / state tax policy: Tied for fifth place with 7% marking as their first choice. Health care includes controlling system expenditures and providing universal access to affordable health services with seamless coverage regardless of one's health status. The state tax policy includes the tax structure and property taxes.  

The survey also includes the least important priorities: port districts, privatization, waste management, education, and economic diversification.  

Several interesting aspects of the survey reveal that education is both the most and least important issue (including early childhood education). Privatization includes the public bank, which the League has been working on for the past few years. This is a situation in which the numbers form part of the input for the legislative priorities. Board and Issue Chair input is considered, along with input from the people who want to work on the issues.  

Fortunately, there are a number of advocates for these issues, and others. Members and friends will learn more about these priorities and more at the Action Workshop, Dec. 4.