By Kathryn Hobbie, LWV of Clark County

“I just felt I had to do something.” 

That’s the near-universal first response when new members are asked why they join the League of Women Voters. And there are many new members in the nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. Nationally, the League has added 20,000 in the past two years.  

In Washington state, League membership shot up 30 percent to 3,190 in 19 months. “Compared to past trends, that is huge growth,” said LWVWA President Karen Crowley. 

Barb Tengtio, immediate past president of the Seattle King County League, cited political upheaval as a major reason. “Given the climate in our country, people have a desire to do something, even if they’re not sure what,” said Tengtio, who was honored at this year’s national convention for the Seattle King County League’s growth.  

Of the several factors drawing newcomers, increased visibility may be the biggest, Tengtio said. A 2025 national League campaign titled “Women Defend Democracy,” called for increased efforts to protect voting access and other rights. In response to the current administration’s defiance of Congress and the courts, the League also declared a constitutional crisis. 

“Defending Democracy got our members out in public for marches and events, giving them the opportunity to talk to their neighbors about the League. We’ve gotten more vocal at community events and in the media,” Tengtio said.  

Another factor is partnerships with groups like the American Association of University Women, the National Council of Jewish Women, and the Girl Scouts of the USA. 

 “Partnership is how we expand our impact and advance our mission,” said Sasha Bentley, a state board member from Klickitat-Skamania. “Sharing our resources and knowledge is equity in action. When people experience the League as a partner, they’re more likely to want to be part of it.”  

New members who log into the LWVUS website are asked what issues prompted them to join. “Some cite the environment or immigrants’ rights, but the vast majority express voting-related concerns,” said Clark County’s Nancy Halvorson, who is also first vice president of the state board. 

Indeed, some of Seattle King County’s new members joined just to be election observers. (In several Washington counties, auditors have authorized League members to serve as volunteer observers to ensure proper procedures are followed.) “For the August primary, we had more than 30 at the observer orientation, half of them new members, including several men,” Tengtio said.     

For most of the League’s history, members have mostly been women who were retired or not employed outside of the home. But demographics are shifting, said Bentley, whose expertise includes diversity, equity and inclusion. “We’re working hard to create a more inclusive culture,” she said.  

Amy Peloff, the state League’s new executive director, said one of her chief goals is to expand opportunities for members who are juggling careers, families and other commitments.  

Is the League’s impressive growth an anomaly among civic groups? “It’s hard to know,” said Travis Ridout, Thomas S. Foley Distinguished Professor of Government and Public Policy at Washington State University.  “Smaller organizations often don’t track the numbers. But there is a well-supported theory that people get more involved politically when the stakes get higher.” 

People join a group for many reasons, Ridout said; sometimes it’s to commiserate or channel their anger.   

Grays Harbor County is perhaps the most robust example of League growth. From a No Kings rally earlier this year in downtown Aberdeen where she got the idea, Lisa Chappell needed only three months to marshal 35 new members to form the state’s newest — and 20th — chapter↗️. 

 Halvorson, the state membership director, agreed that strong emotion is behind some of the growth. “What’s happened since the 2024 election has made people feel powerless. Our members are joining because they want to act.”  

And why do they select the League?  

Credibility, Crowley said.  “When you choose to do action in times as challenging as these, you want an organization you can feel safe with. We’ve built a legacy that people trust.” 

 That legacy stretches back to 1920, when the 19th Amendment extended voting rights to women.  The League was “a mighty political experiment” by the National American Woman Suffrage Association to help women navigate their new role as voters. 

Beyond adding members, it’s also vital to engage them. That’s best achieved at the local level, said Halvorson.  “I can’t impact what’s going on with the Supreme Court, but I can affect my local community. Doing candidate forums, joining the Observer Corps — these things really do make a difference.”