By Elaine Harger, Voter Services Portfolio Director, LWV of Washington

Greetings from Spokane, where autumn has finally arrived. An introduction of myself as a new LWVWA board member, now responsible for statewide Voter Services, is in order. 

I’ve been chair of Voter Services in Spokane for the past three years and have been a member of LWVSA since fall 2020 when I moved from Seattle. Shortly after arriving, I retired after more than 40 years as a library staff person and librarian in Utah, New York, New Jersey and Washington.  

As a LWVWA board member, I will help coordinate Voter Services support to local Leagues across the state and bring Voter Services activities, concerns and needs to the attention of the board.   

As a beneficiary of the monthly Voter Services Affinity Group meetings, I hope to continue sharing voter outreach activities along with Susan Fiksdal and Mary Schick, who immediately filled that job after Robbie Stoltz resigned.   

Chairs Fiksdal and Schick quickly made plans for the September and October affinity group meetings. As I write this, I am looking forward to the October meeting, which will feature representatives from the Office of the Secretary of State updating us and answering a long list of questions regarding the upcoming election. 

I’ve also been thinking about contributions I might make to the work of Voter Services in the LWVWA. Like all League members, when tabling I’ve encountered a good number of potential voters who express indifference, cynicism, ridicule and even hostility when they are asked about registering or voting in general.   

I think it might be interesting to explore this phenomenon in some kind of organized way to figure out how best to respond when this happens.   

Democracy in the U.S. is in trouble. Deeply.   

Yet I can’t help but think that representative democracy is essential, especially as the climate crisis generates even more stress on all systems that our society depends on and that need the coordination that government can provide.  If an inquiry along these lines develops, I will certainly let newsletter readers know.

I can be reached at eharger@lwvwa.org.