Fellowship, business, and guidance on resisting threats to democracy were also center stage.
It was packed!
With reminders from LWVUS President Dianna Wynn that "We will not be silent!"; with inspiration from WA Attorney General Nick Brown that we have reason to hope; with guidance about how best to resist the escalating threats to democracy; and with hours of fellowship and conversation. The 2025 LWVWA Convention "Stand Up For Democracy" was a packed event.
From Spokane and Pullman to the San Juans and south to Clark County, 149 registrants—136 in-person and 13 virtual—participated June 5-9 at the Heathman Lodge in Vancouver, WA. Also joining the convention at times were "neighbor" League members, nearly a dozen Oregon members.
We will not be silent. Not as suffragists at Seneca Falls in 1848, not in state assemblies fighting for the 19th Amendment in 1920, not while defending democracy in Congress in 1955 and certainly not today.
President Wynn's Saturday evening keynote generated great applause, cheers, and rounds of standing ovations.
"We will not be silent," Wynn told the audience that filled the Lewis and Clark Ballroom in the Heathman.
"We will not be silent," she repeated. "Not as suffragists at Seneca Falls in 1848, not in state assemblies fighting for the 19th Amendment in 1920, not while defending democracy in Congress in 1955 and certainly not today."
Wynn also participated in Friday afternoon's Q&A featuring former LWVWA President Mary Coltrane and former LWV Clark County President Nancy Halvorson. A communications consultant who previously served as president of the ACLU in North Carolina, Wynn visited with dozens of Washington League members, often for long exchanges, and attended a number of the workshops and caucuses before her Sunday morning departure.
Cynthia Stewart, chair of the convention planning team, observed that, "This was a remarkable convention—full of energy, lots of new information and ideas, motivation to stand up for democracy, and abundant mingling to meet and talk with each other. And the Clark County League did a spectacular job of supporting the convention, making it easy and fun for all involved."
Attorney General Brown addressed the convention Friday evening, focusing on how Washington state is committed to standing up for law and against escalating attacks on our democracy by the Trump Administration. He noted his office has filed at least 20 lawsuits against the federal administration.
Dr. Susan Martin's (LWV San Juans) Friday lunch speech focused on the timely question: "Still a Nation of Immigrants?" while Saturday's lunch speaker, Professor Kate Starbird, detailed her research into the intentional manipulation of online information for political gain, largely by the far right.
Willie Frank III, son of native rights advocate and environmentalist Billy Frank Jr., of the Nisqually tribe, was the featured speaker Friday morning.
Workshops throughout the weekend focused on redistricting, the new LWVWA Elder Caregiving study; a budget Q&A, media literacy and news education, resolutions, resisting threats to democracy, League governance, the ballot translation project, and microplastics (the microplastics workshop cleverly titled "Does this Plastic Make Me Look Fat?").
The business of convention
Karen Crowley (LWV Snohomish) was elected LWVWA's new president. Angela Gyurko (LWV Jefferson) was elected secretary; Martin Gibbins (LWV Seattle/King) was re-elected as second vice president; Cynthia Stewart continues as first vice president; and Dee Ann Kline Parkinson continues as the C4 treasurer.
Sasha Bentley (member at large) and Robbie Soltz (LWV Kittitas) were elected to two-year director terms, while Toyoko Tsukunda (LWV Clallam) was elected to a one-year term. Dee Anne Finken was re-elected as a director and continuing directors are Nancy Halvorson (LWV Clark), Aly Welch Heinrich (LWV Pullman), and Shelley Kneip (LWV Thurston). Karen Madsen (LWV Snohomish) was appointed to return as C3 Treasurer.
Cindy Piennett (LWV Seattle/King), nominated from the floor on Friday afternoon, was elected chair of the new nominating committee. Also elected to that committee were Beth Pellicciotti (LWV Spokane) and Tricia Grantham (LWV Pullman).
On Sunday morning, the Dorothy Roberts Award, which recognizes a League member who is committed, dedicated, and passionate about the mission of the League—and whose work has made the League known to others outside of the organization—was given to First Vice President Cynthia Stewart. She is also Lobby Team Chair.
Girl Scouts from the Oregon and Southwest Washington Council presented the colors and led a flag salute Saturday afternoon—and donated 150 boxes of their very popular cookies in recognition of the new, two-year national partnership between the League and the Girl Scouts.
Convention-goers repeatedly lauded the nearly four dozen Clark County League volunteers who assisted with planning and execution of the event, including handling registration, tech assistance at workshops, transportation, credentialing, providing welcome bags, organizing a dine-around and field trips. Among them were Judie Stanton (former LWV Clark County President) who organized drivers.
"Some of our newest members jumped in and wanted to help and got exposed to the state convention within months of becoming a member," Stanton said. "And, of course, we have the folks we can always rely on. People were taking big jobs, little jobs. It was terrific."
