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