“Good Citizen” posters are now available in both Spanish and English and will be on sale at the LWVWA 2022 Council in June. If you order in advance and pick them up, the cost is $1.75 each. If you want them mailed to you, the cost is $5 for one or $10 for up to four copies. So if you want multiple copies, please order anytime and they will be ready for you to pick up at the council. One League ordered 55 of each and are giving them to every school in their district! Ordering in advance is a good idea, if possible. To order in advance, contact Karen Verrill or order through the LWVWA website. 

On April 23 from 1-3 p.m. the LWV of Thurston County hosted a Civics Education Fair at the state Capitol in Olympia. The League had received a permit to set up tables and displays along the north steps of the Legislative Building, the grand entrance to the Capitol, and they placed banners indicating that this was an activity sponsored by the League of Women Voters. On display were copies of both editions of the LWVWA civics textbook, The State We’re In: Washington, along with the poster “What It Takes to Be a Good Citizen” in English and in Spanish. The author of the textbook, Jill Severn, was in attendance as the League featured her essay “Why Study Civics?” The League worked with Leo O’Leary, the Civic Education Director for the Washington State House, and his colleague in the state Senate, Louis Lindstrom, to have information and displays concerning the House and Senate page programs, the Legislative Internship, and the Legislative Scholar Program for teachers. The League made several contacts with the lieutenant governor’s office to provide information on the Legislative Youth Advisory Council, which is accepting applications until May 15 for the 2023-2024 term. Although they were unable to attend, the League also provided information on how to apply for the council. 

Other activities that were available included a scavenger hunt of the Capitol campus, with students receiving a raffle ticket at each site they visited. Raffle prizes included gift certificates for pizza. A special landscape and tree tour led by Dee Ann Kline and Nick Parkinson, master gardeners and members of the Mason County League, generated much interest. One of the local online newspapers, JOLT (The Journal of Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater), helped to promote the event and provided cookies. 

The Capitol and the surrounding grounds is the number one tourist attraction in Olympia. The League was fortunate to be able to schedule this event on a sunny weekend in April. This was an opportunity for the League to interact with the public on a positive issue and to encourage students and their parents to become more aware of the importance of civics education. 

 

Students from The Evergreen State College at the Civics Education Fair in Olympia. (Photo by Julie Frick.) 

 

League members at the Civics Education Fair in Olympia. (Photo by Dennis Bloom.) 

By Bobbie Ryder, LWV of Pullman 

The Pullman League has long operated as a “board of the whole.” This means that all paid members are part of the LWV of Pullman Board. Members are invited to attend and participate in all Board meetings, and they receive the agendas, minutes, and handouts ahead of each meeting. Most importantly, by paying membership dues they become voting members at the meetings they attend and can choose to use this right. One person, one vote, if you show up. It is quite simple. Here is the operable phase from our bylaws. 

ARTICLE VII – Meetings; Sec. 3. Quorum: One quarter of the paid membership as of January 1 shall constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting. Five (5) members shall constitute a quorum at all other meetings. 

The Pullman League has 75 members, but we average 15 to 20 attendees at the monthly Board meetings. Sometimes more members attend if the agenda looks interesting. Board/membership attendance is reasonably steady, and our Executive Board members (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer) are always at the Board meetings, but not required to be at the “event” meetings. (We host two “events” a month; one Evening Meeting and one noon Brown Bag.) 

In September we publish a simple black-and-white calendar that is periodically updated as speakers change or have scheduling conflicts. It is created as a Word document and it is easy to email updated calendars as PDFs when changes occur. This becomes an opportunity to reach out with a friendly “thought you would be interested” message to all our members. The calendar of events is also listed on our website. 

The LWV of Pullman has operated as a board of the whole for so long that no one remembers when it was anything different. We thought all Leagues operated under this model. Some of our 50-plus-year members report that it has been this way since its founding in 1950. We highly recommend it! 

"Thank Election Heroes Day of Action" on April 12 

Americans across race, place, and party believe in the freedom to decide for themselves who represents them. In the face of a pandemic, Americans turned out in record numbers to cast their ballots and make their voices heard. Election workers are essential workers—like nurses, grocery store workers, letter carriers, and firefighters, our democracy would not function without them (or you). During the deadly pandemic, election workers put their lives on the line to do their jobs, allowing us to cast our votes safely and securely. Then they worked overtime to count every vote so that our voices could be heard. Despite all of this, in some places they are facing extreme pressure and are under attack. 

Join the LWVUS on Tuesday, April 12 for a “Thank Election Heroes Day of Action.” Alongside partners from Public Citizen, Leadership Conference, and Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote, we will show our support for local election workers and honor them for their dedication to ensuring our elections run smoothly. It is our opportunity to thank them and to shine a light on the work they do.  

Taking action can be done in a number of ways and can take many forms, depending on your locality. The LWVUS is hosting two calls to learn more about how your League can be involved: 

Sunday, April 3, 5 p.m. PT, Movement Call: Learn about election workers' dedication and the hard work they have done throughout the pandemic and how you can host a "Thank Election Heroes" event, either in-person or virtually. 

Wednesday, April 6, 4:30 p.m. PT, Host Call: Learn ways to make your “Thank Election Heroes” event as impactful as possible, whether it’s in-person or virtual. 

For Your Reading Pleasure 

Two years ago this month, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Our lives—and the way we vote—completely changed. Mail-in and early voting were not only successful counters to pandemic restrictions but made voting accessible for all. We must not turn back. We must continue to fight to protect accessible voting practices. Learn more on what COVID-19 taught us about making voting accessible. 

With the new year comes more litigation. In the past year, the League has continued its work fighting anti-voter bills and purges, challenging new district maps, and pushing back against the increased attacks on reproductive rights. Here are a handful of the issues you may want to keep an eye on in 2022.  

Across the United States, we are experiencing the dramatic impact of climate change—severe droughts and wildfires in the West, unprecedented high-water levels and erosion in the Great Lakes, and rising sea levels with resulting floods and saltwater incursion in the East. Read about climate change threats to food and water. 

LWVUS Sends ERA Memo to U.S. House 

In a memo to the U.S. House of Representatives, LWVUS CEO Virginia Kase urged the House to co-sponsor H.R. 891, affirming the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The ERA passed Congress in 1972, and in January 2020 Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the amendment, meeting the three-fourths state ratification requirement. 

LWV of Texas Submits Testimony to U.S. House Subcommittee 

The LWV of Texas submitted a statement for the record to the U.S. House Administration committee’s Subcommittee on Elections that included stories from Texas voters about the issues they faced in the recent primary following the enactment of S.B. 1, the new law governing Texas elections that had negative consequences for voter access in the state. The LWV of Texas statement was submitted as part of a hearing on “Ensuring Free and Fair Access to the Ballot in Texas.” The lengthy statement includes enlightening testimony from Texas voters. 

By Alison McCaffree, Redistricting Issue Chair, LWV of Washington 

The League of Women Voters of Washington has been a leader in redistricting reform in our state for over 90 years. We are not stopping now. For the 2021 redistricting cycle we ran 13 Speak Up Schools to teach people how to testify, held over 30 Mapping Listening sessions, and created our own set of statewide maps. Congratulations to everyone who testified or provided input. We’ve taken a deep look at the Washington State Redistricting Commission’s 2021 process and results and found them lacking. We’ve got a lot of work to do.  

The LWVWA calls for comprehensive reform of the Washington state redistricting process before 2031. Over the last few weeks, numerous decisions and events further emphasize a great need for such reform. Our district maps should reflect the voices of all communities across the state. The 2021 maps miss the mark. The LWVWA applauds the efforts of a Yakima community group that brought a lawsuit alleging the maps violate Latino citizens’ voting rights in the area. While the Washington Supreme Court approved the maps, we are disappointed in the lack of timeliness and transparency in the commission’s negotiations. If local communities cannot see what commissioners are discussing during their process, then they do not know if their input has been heard and considered.  

Changing the process and the commission structure requires changes in the law and in the Constitution of the State of Washington. The legislature refused to make even the most obvious changes by failing to pass HB 2575 (in 2020) and SB 5560 (in 2022). The Washington Administrative Code changes that the commission made—only because of the pressure of a lawsuit settlement—do not go far enough. The LWVWA calls on local Leagues, the public, and the media to engage the legislature in advocating for more transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness in the state’s redistricting process and in calling for a new type of commission—an independent citizen-focused commission.  

We must disaggregate the commission from partisan politics and provide more staff support sooner. The trust in our election systems starts with redistricting. Without comprehensive redistricting reform, Washington’s community needs will continue to come second to other concerns.  

The LWVWA is assembling a broad coalition of individuals and organizations that support comprehensive reform of Washington’s redistricting process. We advocate for change in six major areas:

1.     Examining the structure of the commission

2.     Expanding staff support

3.     Increasing transparency and ensuring Open Public Meetings Act training

4.     Defining criteria used to evaluate district boundary placement

5.     Securing broad public Input

6. Increasing access to the process

Redistricting Reform Discussion meetings: 

Join us for deep discussions on each of these possible areas every other Tuesday, 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m., starting April 12. 

Register Today (same for all meetings). 

• April 12, 2022: Criteria and ranking 

• April 26 2022: Transparency and accountability 

• May 10, 2022: Increased staffing and technology support 

• May 24, 2022: Independent citizens commission 

• June 7, 2022: Input and access 

While redistricting relies on technology and data analysis, ultimately human judgment must balance representation among various communities of interest with overlapping or conflicting needs. Washington’s redistricting commission needs a larger group of people representing communities around the state. We must create a process that inspires trust, that holds commissioners accountable to communities, and that ultimately gives voice to the people of Washington state.  

If you have any questions, please contact Alison McCaffree. 

Nick Lovrich, co-editor of the book Outside Looking In: Lobbyists’ Views on Civil Discourse in U.S. State Legislatures, is scheduled to speak at the LWV of Washington 2022 Council in June. Lovrich, who will speak on Saturday, June 11 during the lunch break, will present results and observations from Outside Looking In, published in 2021 by Washington State University Press. Focused on state legislative politics, the book is based on a 2018-2019 national survey of state legislative lobbyists and public agency legislative officers regarding their views about how their various state legislatures operate. More than 1,100 state legislative lobbyists (from all 50 states) were questioned about the weakening of civility norms, the breakdown of bipartisan problem-solving, and the recent shrinkage of the nonpartisan space in the U.S. Congress—problems that have also affected how state legislatures operate. His talk will focus on the findings from the research done in Washington state.

A research team of over a dozen scholars from 10 U.S. universities (University of Kansas, University of Arkansas, University of Utah, Washington State University, Oregon State University, Bradley University, Boise State University, Duke University, Kent State University, and Clark University) collaborated on collecting and analyzing the survey data. The research team also worked on the systematic coding of the extended comments collected, many offered by one-time state legislators now working as lobbyists or as public agency legislative liaison officers.

A box lunch will be available to order prior to the event; information to come.

By Beth Pellicciotti, Civic Education Portfolio Director, LWV of Washington 

The LWV of the Spokane Area is partnering with its local public television station, KSPS PBS, and Spokane Public Schools to produce a televised civics contest tournament with high school students. The Civics Bowl will be broadcast Mondays, May 2 through June 6, at 7 p.m., on KSPS PBS. Online viewing of the Civics Bowl will also be available on KSPS.org on Tuesdays following each Monday broadcast.   

The Spokane League partnered with KSPS PBS and Spokane Public Schools to produce this unique project of a civics knowledge tournament for students. Students from six schools will compete in this pilot season.  

To learn more about this project, you can watch the Zoom recording and read the PowerPoint presentation of the Spokane League’s March 8 meeting about the KSPS PBS Civics Bowl. The meeting agenda provides the times for each section of the recording. The meeting showcased: 

• How to plan, organize, and produce a civics contest. 

• How League members wrote 400-plus questions from civics textbooks, including the LWVWA Education Fund textbook, The State We’re In: Washington, 8th edition. 

• How Spokane Public Schools teaches civics education. 

By Beth Pellicciotti, Civic Education Portfolio Director, LWV of Washington 

The League of Women Voters of Clallam County has received a $2,000 Civic Education Fund Grant from the LWV of Washington Education Fund to reach out to schools, libraries, clubs, and youth programs with all things civics. The Clallam League believes in asking community partners, “What do you need?”  

The LWV of Clallam County will use the grant to:  

• Support K-12 teachers by funding the yearly Kids Voting USA program. 

• Purchase The State We’re In: Washington textbooks for teachers and libraries. 

• Coordinate with local Boys and Girls Clubs to sponsor students for the Legislative Page Program. 

• Recruit interns from Peninsula College for projects according to student interest. 

Clallam League members hope to mentor high school students in a leadership class that encourages students to serve on local boards by helping students: 

• Review board packets before meetings. 

• Prepare oral comments. 

• Create high school surveys on issues. 

• Provide data to board members. 

For more information, contact Bonnie Bless-Boenish. 

Cultivating Civic Conversations: About the State of Our Democracy—Spring 2022 

By Katherine Murphy, LWV of Kittitas County 

Registration is open for the next round of Cultivating Civic Conversations (CCC),“About the State of Our Democracy,” scheduled for Sundays, April 10 through June 12, 2022, at 3 p.m. This free, 10-week seminar offers participants an opportunity to step back and use a “beginner’s mind” when discussing civic education and engagement. If we want to encourage our friends, co-workers, and family to participate in our democracy, then sometimes we need a fresh approach—one that makes fewer assumptions about what “everyone knows” about our history and government. 

The seminar uses the LWVWA’s elementary civics textbook, The State We’re In: Washington, as the anchoring framework. This book is available online for free or in paperback; ordering information is included in the registration materials. The course creator and facilitator, Katherine Murphy, adds content from diverse sources to expand each week’s discussion. 

Prior to each week’s meeting, participants read, listen to, or watch assignments from the textbook, podcasts, or videos. Each assignment includes up to 25 pages of text to read, a podcast to listen to (there is usually a transcript),and reflection questions to consider. The assignments typically take about two hours. The Zoom sessions are one hour and include additional content as well as discussion.  

We use the Sutra Spaces discussion platform to manage and keep all the group materials in one place. To view a full schedule and to register for this seminar, visit the CCC website. 

Participants in the previous CCC sessions have said: 

• "This excellent class opened my mind and my heart to new ways of learning and thinking about our country's history and acting to address injustice." 

• "I am astounded at how much I learned and the resolve I now have to make a positive difference." 

• “It’s been an eye-opening journey into our history—a history I was never fully taught long ago in school.” 

Katherine Murphy (LWV of Kittitas County) and Wende Sanderson (LWV of Skagit County) developed the Cultivating Civic Conversations (CCC) program to meet the need expressed by community and League members who want “to learn how everything works in government.” Since that is a tall order, we decided to use a seminar format and tackle one theme at a time because we believe that it is easier to learn, grow, and thrive within a community of learners. Research shows that long-term civic engagement is built on personal one-on-one connections and we focus on this approach. 

CCC programs offer a structure that helps us reflect on the question, "How do we learn how to have transformative conversations about what it means to be human and, as humans, to constructively participate in our civic affairs?" We hope that the next CCC workshop, “About the State of Our Democracy” will help you to: 

• Discover new voices, historical context, viewpoints, and resources. 

• Reflect upon and reframe your place in your community. 

• Encourage and expand your capacity for civic engagement. 

• Nurture humor, insight, joy, and perspective. 

If you have questions or want to be added to our mailing list for future sessions, email Katherine. 

Commission on the Status of Women and LWVUS Presentation 

Members of the League of Women Voters are invited to attend the 66th Meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) at the United Nations in New York, being held virtually Monday, March 14–Friday, March 25, 2022. The CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively devoted to promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. 

The priority theme this year is achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change as well as environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programs. Another theme is women's economic empowerment in the changing world of work. 

The LWV of the United States has been an active participant in CSW meetings since its inception in 1946 and has attended meetings, presented and commented at commission meetings, and sponsored panels and events. 

The LWVUS will present a parallel event, “Climate Threats to Democratic Elections: Preparing for the Worst,” on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PT.  Publicity details to come. 

You can register in advance for the parallel event. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.  

Please let the League know if you have questions about this process.  It would be helpful if you could write up brief summaries of events you attend that are relevant to LWV members and send them to csensor@lwv.org. The summaries will be compiled and shared with League members after the forum and will help the League prepare for future events.  

The NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY (NGO CSW/NY) sponsors the NGO CSW Forum of events and panels, advocacy trainings, briefings on CSW discussions and draft outcome documents, and opportunities to attend regional caucuses. The NGO CSW/NY is a group of New York–based women’s NGOs in consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council.  

To register and for more information on the NGO CSW66 Forum and on NGO parallel events, visit the NGO CSW/NY website. 

Celebrating the Nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson 

Black History Month came to a close with the nomination of the first Black woman, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, to the Supreme Court. LWV's CEO Virginia Kase Solomón wrote about the added challenges faced by Black female candidates in both this decision and across the political sphere. As we applaud the decision to promote a Black woman to the highest judicial post in our nation, we reflect on the countless contributions Black women have made to our democracy since its inception. 

LWVUS Launches Registration Campaigns 

With primary elections kicking off, the League has launched multiple voter registration campaigns to empower underserved communities across the nation. These include young people, new citizens, and those returning from incarceration. Check your voter registration and primary information at VOTE411.org! 

102 Years of Defending Democracy 

To honor over a century of work, Leagues across the country hosted more then 100 actions (more actions than years of League history) empowering voters across the country. These included registration drives, letter-writing campaigns, educational panels and workshops, and more. 

Did you miss our virtual birthday rally? Check it out and learn more about state and local League actions from our birthday.