November 28 is Giving Tuesday—a global day of giving which takes place the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This year, please consider making your Giving Tuesday gift to the League of Women Voters of Washington. Gifts made to the League fund our work to empower voters and defend democracy.

The League does so much! Your gift can help the LWVWA advocate for fair and accessible elections, fight against voter suppression, combat misinformation and disinformation, publish civics school textbooks, advocate in the Washington State Legislature on League priority issues such as climate change, childcare, health care, homelessness, equity, equality, and a whole lot more. 

Giving is easy and simple! You can give by:

• Clicking here (or through the "donate" tab on our homepage);
• Mailing a check to the League of Women Voters of Washington 1511 3rd Ave, Suite 900 Seattle, WA 98101;

• Making a gift directly to the LWVWA from your IRA as part of your annual required minimum withdrawal.  

You can donate to our to our 501(c)(4) to support our advocacy work or make a tax deductible gift to our 501(c)(3), the LWVWA Education Fund.

Please consider giving today—every little bit helps, and you can make a real difference!  

By Lyn Whitley and Dee Anne Finken, LWVWA Local News Committee members 

Like the League of Women Voters in Washington, individuals and groups elsewhere across the country are turning to public policy as a way to stem the decline in local news.

In early October, LWVWA Local News Committee members met virtually with Steve Waldman, founder of the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization Rebuild Local News, to learn about some of the efforts.

Previously national editor of U.S. News & World Report, Waldman was asked by the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission in 2009 to study whether all Americans were receiving the information, educational content and news they needed in a changing media landscape. The product of his effort was the highly regarded “The Information Needs of Communities,” which predicted a decline of local newspapers would be particularly problematic.

Waldman went on to found Report for America, a nonprofit program that places early career journalists in newsrooms in underserved communities across the country.

Waldman began his conversation with committee members by praising the LWVWA study, “The Decline of Local News and Its Impact on Democracy,” and other Washington state League efforts to support local news.

“I can’t stress how important it is that the League is doing this,” Waldman said.  “So far, it’s only been a bunch of journalists talking about this. And we are really only going to make progress when other civic groups and organizations, and businesses really understand the crisis.”

He noted that efforts are underway in New York, Wisconsin, Maryland and Colorado to pursue legislation to provide news outlets with refundable payroll tax credits to offset staffing costs. Calling payroll tax credits “probably one of the best ways to encourage the presence of local reporters,” Waldman said such a proposal would be worth promoting in Washington, given the state’s budget surplus. He acknowledged stiff competition for the funds from many special interests will likely surface, though.

Waldman said the creation of early career journalism fellowships, such as the new $2.4 million program at Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow College, will help ease the crisis. That program will place eight journalists in newsrooms in underserved areas in the state the first year and another eight the year after.   

New Mexico was the first state to create such a program, and California launched its program in March. Administered by the University of California-Berkeley, it received $25 million in state funds. Washington state Sen. Karen Keiser, a UC alum, has said she was inspired by the UC plan to seek financing for Washington’s program.

In many ways, Waldman said, fellowship programs win ready support from lawmakers who are familiar with state finances and university systems.

Another approach gaining traction would require state public agencies to buy advertising in local newspapers, provided the expenditures are effective. Waldman noted local governments across the country purchase advertising for programs ranging from public health messaging to tourism promotion. The idea is to support local news outlets instead of Big Tech social media firms, if the advertising is equally effective.

Waldman said Washington’s lawmakers are generally on board with support for local news at both the state and federal levels. A bill that allows news publishers to seek exemption from the state Business & Occupation tax won broad bipartisan support in the state Legislature before Gov. Inslee signed it this spring. 

In Congress, Rep. Dan Newhouse and Sen. Maria Cantwell, both of Washington, sponsored the Local Journalism Sustainability Act in 2020, which was hung up in budget deliberations in late 2022.  Replacing it is the Community News & Small Business Support Act, co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Suzan DelBene of Washington and Claudia Tenney of New York, which would create tax credits for newspapers to hire staff and for local businesses to advertise in local newspapers.

Each year, the LWVWA Lobby Team participates in planning and conducting two events related to the Legislature:

• In December of each year, the Lobby Team conducts an Action Workshop at which League members and interested public learn about what issues are likely to come up in the ensuring legislative session and get tips about League positions to support. 
• In January, the Lobby Team works with Fix Democracy First (FDF), a partner organization, on Democracy Lobby Week. During this week, League and FDF members can attend daytime or evening sessions. During evening sessions, attendees get more details about specific bills that we are supporting, and during the daytime sessions, they have an opportunity to meet with their local legislators in support of these bills.

Both of these events were held in person prior to the pandemic, but will continue to be virtual this year—both for convenience and to prevent additional risk of COVID variants and/or flu.

Please save the dates on your calendars! Detailed agendas with registration information will be posted in several weeks.

The League of Women Voters of Kittitas County created short descriptions of the special districts in Kittitas County to help voters learn the purpose and responsibilities of these districts. Included in the descriptions were offices and special districts like:

• City Council and City Manager (English and Spanish)
  
• City Council and Mayor (English and Spanish)
• Hospital District (English and Spanish)
• Water District (English and Spanish)
• Public Utility District (English and Spanish)
• Fire District (English and Spanish)
• School Board (English and Spanish)
• Parks and Recreation (English and Spanish)

The Kittitas County Auditor, Bryan Elliot included the descriptions in the County's voter pamphlet, on page 3.

LWV Kittitas County hopes making this information available will help increase voter turnout!

Earlier this year, the League of Women Voters of Thurston County tasked a small committee to produce a "Be a Voter" video. The six-minute video was produced by that committee in partnership with videographer, Kaila Bohler, who donated her time and expertise.

The focus of the video was on the generations and diversity of the LWV Thurston County membership. Those featured in the video were asked three questions, including why they voted in local elections. The Thurston League will use the video in their voter services work, their voter registration trainings, and with high school students for their Future Voter Advocates project.

You can watch the video here.

The civic holiday National Voter Registration Day was Tuesday, Sept 19. In honor of the holiday, LWVUS President Dr. Deborah Turner was on hand to talk about voting on Tuesday’s PBS Newshour.

Dr. Turner’s message is exactly what we in our local Leagues and at the state League work to share with voters as we head towards the November 8, 2023, election. Topics covered include: engaging young voters, key issues, automatic voter registration, and reminders that politics is local; those we elect at the local level are the people who make decisions affecting our everyday lives.

You can watch a recording of the event here. Make sure you take a look!

Mary Coltrane, LWVWA President

By Christine Grantham, LWVBF member, Special Projects

In preparation for the LWVWA’s 2023 State Convention, I printed famous quotes as tabletop decorations.  This line by Abraham Lincoln stood out. “Nations do not die from invasion; they die from internal rottenness.”

My worst fear is that we may lose our democracy due to disinformation, lack of confidence in our electoral process and voter apathy. To encourage participation in what is still considered our most precious right as Americans, “The Vote,” I wanted to make a video directed at young people before the 2024 primary.

I wanted an effective “GET OUT THE VOTE” tool to encourage voters to turn out and vote.  We would produce two 30-second videos, one in English and one in Spanish.  

In the summer of 2022, I looked at short clips and videos mostly by professional entertainers promoting voting.  There were some that could possibly work, but there are always trademark and licensing restrictions. I would need just the right combination of actors for a play or video and/or background music. The whole project seemed overwhelming.

Then in the Fall of 2022 the LWVBF was asked to participate in the Pasco School District All Staff Welcome Back Expo. At the close of the event, I happened to hear some snappy music and spotted Pasco High School’s Dance Team—the dance team of my dreams! Their performance was impeccable, the choreography outstanding and each member unbelievably talented. They fit the bill right down to my wish for a multi-cultural group representing the America of the future. I found the coach and asked if they had ever done any performances like one to encourage voting.  The coach was all in and so was the team.  It was a GO!

The team selected the slogan “YOUR VOTE, YOUR VOICE, YOUR FUTURE” and had the slogan printed on their red, white, and blue tee-shirts. The Dance Team coach, Rebecca Schwan, has been with the Pasco School District for 24 years and is an outstanding choreographer.  She has coached semiprofessional dance and cheer teams and was inducted into the Washington State Hall of Fame for Dance and Cheer in 2015. Most importantly, she has a unique connection with her team. Together they create incredible routines. So now I could begin the project.  

The next piece of the puzzle was to find a videographer. Most of the professionals I interviewed were out of my price range, but I happened to find Tyler West who had just moved to the area. He understood the frustration of voter apathy and was eager to be part of the project.   

There was another bonus that came as a total surprise. At the suggestion of the dance coach, I talked to The Pasco School District Community Outreach Supervisor, Gracie-Valle Chimal.  Gracie was familiar with the League’s work and immediately offered to assist in any way.  She understood the importance and urgency of a community project to stimulate interest and turnout prior to the 2024 election.  Gracie has worked in radio and broadcasting, has public affairs experience, and also speaks fluent Spanish.

She and I hit it off immediately and I know my project would never have come to fruition without her professional guidance, suggestions, and advice. She critiqued our practices and proved to be a master of what to cut to keep us within our 30 second limit. Ultimately, she knew the importance of protecting the League’s name and the integrity of our project.  

The GOTV video was finally finished in June 2023. It was completed with the help of a $1,500 grant from the State League’s Education Fund, which paid the cost of the videographer. We had a lot of fun collaborating with the Pasco High School Dance Team for this video and look forward to promoting the video in the lead up in the 2023 Election!

by Raelene Gold, LWVWA representative to the Columbia River Treaty NGO Caucus and LWVWA River Advocate

The Leagues of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana have been persistent and united in their long focus on the Columbia River. It began with writing the extensive “Wild River of the West” in 1956, which focused on the entire Columbia River and its dams. At the time, the 1964 Columbia River Treaty with Canada was being written. The Treaty ended up being an international model for cooperation for mutual benefit between nations sharing a river to maximize hydropower and prevent flooding, both of which the treaty achieved.

In 1980, the LWVWA did a study and wrote their positions for the Columbia River. The League of Women Voters of Washington engages in a formal study process to create our positions and issue reports to present current information about important subjects. Learn more about our study process, the formal process by which The League of Women Voters does studies and takes positions on issues.

In 2013 we sent comments that contributed to the Northwest Regional Recommendation for a modernized Treaty. Currently, the LWVWA belongs to the Columbia River Treaty NGO Caucus, working with religious and environmental organizations, as well as consulting with tribes and environmental groups in  British Columbia.

Our priorities are a modernized treaty that adds to the two existing treaty goals to prevent flooding and maximimize hydropower along the river. The new goal focuses on "ecosystem function," which includes the health of the river and managing flows to assist salmon migration, and also calls for an environmental or tribal voice to be added to the US Entity (treaty governance) to over see this new goal. We also have presented the LWVWA’s recommendations at the September “listening sessions” held by the US State Department and the US Entity.

The U.S. and Canada have been negotiating for a new modernized treaty for 18 sessions, and are planning another session October 12-13 in Portland, OR. Both countries have presented their proposals for the other to review, meaning the most difficult issues to resolve are in focus. One issue is a new flood control management agreement needed by September 2024, without which the U.S. would have to “Call Upon” Canada to prevent flooding by withholding water from its treaty storage reservoirs. This doesn't allow for the pre-planning preferred by Canada.  Also having a flood control agreement is of upmost importance for the lower Columbia River near Vancouver and Portland where most of the transportation infrastructure is in the floodplain.

Another possible contentious issue may be the “Canadian Entitlement,” the amount the U.S. pays Canada for hydropower benefits, which the utilities strongly insist needs to be reduced. The future impacts of climate change are also being considered; Canada is requesting more flexibility in its operations in this area.  

A welcome recent surprise with this work was the Biden administration and upper Columbia River tribes reaching an agreement to restore salmon populations to the upper Columbia River Basin, which have been blocked by the large Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph Dams. Money from the Bonneville Power Administration and Department of Interior will fund a tribal-led implementation plan for this project. This along with the third treaty goal of “ecosystem function” will further the restoration of the river and its iconic long migrating salmon.

Be alert for new “listening sessions” coming up that you may comment on or listen to. 

In early September, the LWVWA Board of Directors gave the Local News Committee the green light to move forward with advocacy and education in connection with the League's new position to support local news. This work is important because, as our study “The Decline of Local News and Its Impact on Democracy" notes, local news plays a crucial role in defending democracy and empowering voters. 

The committee's early efforts will include meeting with newspaper publishers around the state to discuss the League's work and support of Washington State SB 5199—bipartisan legislation that passed earlier this year that enables publishers to apply for a state Business & Occupation tax exemption. Attorney General Bob Ferguson asked that the legislation be introduced, saying the decline has made his work more challenging in several ways, including making it more difficult to educate people about how to file complaints about fraudulent business practices. Ferguson noted that one of his office’s highest profile cases, which resulted in a $12 million settlement against a motel chain, stemmed from a newspaper article that he read about the chain illegally providing information about customers to federal immigration officials. 

The Local News Committee is also invested in promoting greater news media training for students and the general public. Local News Committee member Joanne Lisosky (LWV Tacoma/Pierce County) is kicking off a pilot program to offer News Media Literacy training to teachers to Spokane Public Schools social studies instructors in early 2024. Lisosky, a Pacific Lutheran University professor emeritus, taught News Media Literacy, journalism, and communications for more than 20 years. 

Meanwhile, other state Leagues across the country continue to express their interest in LWV Washington's Local News Committee efforts. The Colorado state League was in contact with questions about the LWVWA study and position in preparation for a late September workshop titled: “No Local News: The Crisis Facing Democracy.” And in mid-September, Local News Committee member Lauren Snider (LWV Seattle/King County) responded to questions about the study and position for members at a Local League meeting in Virginia about rebuilding local news. The event in Hampton Roads was held in the wake of a series of newspaper closures in Virginia.  

The League's study can be read on our website and is also available on Amazon. You can purchase the paperback version for $9.52 or the e-book version for $1.99. 

What do local news, VOTE411, and an amicus brief filed on behalf of the State of Washington in State of Washington v. Meta Platforms have in common? These are all areas where the state League has been active in recent weeks.

The amicus brief asserts that voters are entitled to know who is paying for campaign ads posted on social media; finding out must be possible so voters can cast an informed ballot. News regarding a local news organization in Kansas speaks to the importance of keeping local communities informed about what's happening so voters can cast an informed ballot. Finally, Vote411, when it goes live on October 9th, will offer voters a way to learn about candidates' views in their own words. All of these are integral to empowering voters and defending democracy. This is what League does—in these ways and many more!

The League has many active volunteers and not everyone can be active at different points in their life; but if this is a time that works for you, check out your local League or contact the state League office to find out how to plug in. Democracy thanks you!

After hearing about the events in Kansas, the Local News Committee decided an op-ed was needed. Below is the op-ed created by Local News Committee Chair Dee Anne Finken (Thank you Dee Anne!) and sent out to newspapers across the state:

"News of the police raid at the Marion County Record in Kansas on Aug. 11 ignited outrage across the nation. Similarly newsworthy was the announcement by the county’s top prosecutor days later that he had insufficient evidence to justify the search or the seizure of the newspaper’s property or material.

Few of us know much about what happens in Marion County, an hour and a half southwest of Topeka and home to fewer than 12,000 people. The last time national attention focused on that section of Kansas was in 2010, over construction of the controversial Keystone Pipeline.

Condemnation of the raid by news organizations like The Seattle Times and free-press advocates is understandable. But beyond the police action, the events of the past week or so also should remind us of the vital role local newspapers play throughout the country, serving us all.

The county’s oldest newspaper, the Record has seen a number of owners, publishers and name changes in its 154-year lifetime. With a newsroom across the street from the Marion County Courthouse, it provides an accounting of the administration of justice in the region every Wednesday. Both its print and online pages keep readers informed about decisions by elected officials, developments in the schools and the ups and downs of local business, like recent coverage of the 50th anniversary of a local furniture store and an area dairy’s award-winning cheese.

Why does this matter?

In the past 15 years, for a variety of reasons, a quarter of local newspapers nationally have gone out of business; if the trend continues, we’ll have lost one-third by 2025. Washington has lost more than a fifth of its local newspapers and more than two-thirds of their newsroom staff members.

Research by the League of Women Voters of Washington as well as by scholars and others tells us local newspapers are critical to healthy communities. “The Decline of Local News and Its Impact on Democracy,” which the League published earlier this year, along with reports by Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and others, have linked the loss of a community’s newspaper with higher government costs, reduced voter participation, reductions in the number of candidates vying for local office, increased political polarization and less effective public health campaigns.

When they are robust and independent, local newspapers also fulfill the vital role of watchdogs, keeping an eye on the work of government and politicians, allowing the rest of us to sleep more soundly.

The League of Women Voters is about defending democracy and empowering voters. Local news is critical to this enterprise."

Mary Coltrane,
LWVWA President