• 24 Aug 2022 1:07 PM | Anonymous

    The LWV of Washington is planning at least two statewide candidate debates this fall—for the offices of the U.S. Senate and the Washington Secretary of State. The tentative dates are Thursday, October 6 and Thursday, October 13. The LWVWA previously held a successful candidate forum on July 14 for the Secretary of State primary race, which can be viewed on the TVW website. We also had some good press coverage in the local media in the Olympian and Tacoma’s News Tribune. Thanks to all the local Leagues who helped promote this forum.

  • 24 Aug 2022 12:53 PM | Anonymous
    Betty Tabbutt

    Betty Tabbutt


    Longtime League member Elisabeth (Betty) Tabbutt passed from among us on August 4, 2022. She had a long life rich in experience, impact, and leadership within our community. Her family moved to Olympia when her husband, Fred, became a faculty member at The Evergreen State College when it opened in 1967.

    Betty had a strong background in science and was deeply concerned about a variety of environmental issues. She represented the LWVWA on the Hanford Advisory Board for many years and was actively involved in many solid waste, nuclear waste, and Superfund issues. She also taught classes on environmental concerns at Evergreen.

    Betty was a driving force on the statewide League’s four-year study of forest issues (Washington’s Dynamic Forests, available in the Studies & Reports section of the LWVWA website). She was project manager of the state League’s study committee on groundwater and an active member of the League’s water study committee in 2008.

    Betty served as president of the Thurston County League from 1977 to 1979 and as co-president with Maria Peeler from 2001 to 2003. She described the Thurston County League’s achievements during the 1970s in a booklet titled “Decade Stories: The First Five Decades of Helping Democracy Work in Our Community, State, and Nation, 1961-2011,” available on the Thurston County League website.

    She demonstrated a strong commitment to maintaining family ties and support and was very proud of her four children and their families. Betty was a wonderful friend to many, an amazing leader, and an inspiration to all who knew her.

  • 14 Jul 2022 9:29 AM | Deleted user


    National Convention Summary 

    The LWV of the United States hosted its biennial convention June 23-26. More than a thousand delegates from all 50 states and the District of Columbia joined either virtually or in person in Denver, Colorado, to listen to leaders in the voting rights movement, march in support of abortion justice at the Denver Capitol building, elect the 2022-2024 Board of Directors, and share goals for the next two years. 

    Notably, the 2022 Convention coincided with the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. In her opening remarks, re-elected Board President Dr. Deborah Ann Turner reflected on her experiences as an obstetrician/gynecologist and the League's dedication to reproductive justice. "We hold the power to create a more perfect democracy. Women’s rights are human rights, and we will continue to fight until the right to abortion is restored," Dr. Turner stated. "This is the work that the League of Women Voters does." 

    Dr. Turner closed her speech by announcing the League's next "moonshot" goal: abolishing the Electoral College. The League has long supported this goal due to the Electoral College's many shortcomings and racist history. Dr. Turner noted that the “direct popular vote for electing the president and vice president is essential to representative government,” and that the Electoral College has been a “vehicle to weaken democracy.” 

    Highlights from the convention: 

    • Convention attendees joined Denver activists on Friday evening in a march to the Colorado State Capitol Building to rally for abortion justice. 

    • MSNBC political analyst Joy Reid reflected on the essential nature of our work in her keynote address. 

    • The 2020-2022 biennium report showcased the League's impact over the past two years. 

    • Delegates voted on several motions, including the LWVUS budget and various bylaws amendment proposals. Read the decision summaries

    • Delegates attended dozens of workshops and caucuses throughout the convention on topics as diverse as mis- and dis-information, activating young voters, using Outreach Circle, and more.  

    Due to time constraints, the Powering Democracy Awards ceremony was postponed until July 13 (see below).  

    The 55th LWVUS Convention was a time of community, action, and inspiration. It was a reminder of both the urgency of League work and the power of League members to create a more perfect democracy. 

    Recordings of all convention events will be available on the LWVUS website for at least the next month. The LWVUS is also working on collecting additional information from each event, getting video files to presenters, and opening up access to them to more League members. Stay tuned for more information on all of this. 

    Response Plan on Supreme Court Decision on Dobbs 

    On June 24, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled 6-3 to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. Their decision foreshadowed the erosion of other well-established rights, including access to abortion, marriage equality, and the ability to engage in private, intimate conduct. 

    "When women and those who can become pregnant can no longer make reproductive decisions for their own bodies, they are no longer equal individuals in our democracy," LWVUS Board President Dr. Deborah Ann Turner and CEO Virginia Kase Solomón said in a joint statement. "This harm will exacerbate societal inequalities and fall disproportionately on people of color and low-income communities." 

    The League stands in power with our reproductive partners, many of whom are already planning to take action. In response to the Supreme Court’s June decision, the LWVUS and its partners have the following response plans and resources: 

    • Abortion talking points and messaging guidance for Leagues has been updated on the League Management Site. Use this guidance to speak with one voice on issues of reproductive justice. 

    • Mobilization: Nationwide mobilizations are included on a map of actions with a unique registration link for the LWV. 

    • Partner Toolkit: Messaging, graphics, and additional content. 

    Powering Democracy Award Winners 

    On July 13, the LWVUS presented its Powering Democracy Awards. The 2022 awards offered separate subcategories for state and local Leagues. While the LWVWA didn’t win an award (this time!), we can be proud that two Washington state projects were award finalists:

    DEI Webinar: Native American Women and the Suffrage Movement 

    Join the LWVUS and special guest presenter, Dr. Sally Roesch Wagner, on July 21 at 4 p.m. PT when Dr. Wagner will give an extended presentation of the one scheduled at the LWVUS 2022 Convention. Dr. Wagner will discuss the influence and role of Native American women in the suffrage movements. 

    Dr. Wagner was awarded one of the first doctorates in the country for work in women’s studies and was a founder of one of the first college-level women’s studies programs in the United States (at CSU Sacramento). She has taught women’s studies courses for 50 years and currently serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Syracuse University Renée Crown University Honors Program. Dr. Wagner is the founder and executive director of the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation and Center for Social Justice Dialogue in Fayetteville, New York. 
     
    A prolific author, Dr. Wagner’s 2019 anthology, The Women's Suffrage Movement, provides a new look at the 19th-century woman’s rights movement. Her book Sisters in Spirit: Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Influence on Early American Feminists documents the surprisingly unrecognized authority of Native women who inspired the suffrage movement. It was followed by her young reader’s book, We Want Equal Rights: How Suffragists Were Influenced by Native American Women

    Registration required. 

    Other Resources 

    Messaging Calendar: Suggestions and important dates to celebrate and promote throughout the year. 

  • 14 Jul 2022 9:18 AM | Deleted user

    By Lunell Haught, President, LWV of Washington  

    At the 2022 LWVWA Council, the LWV of the San Juans’s newly elected president, Susan Martin, asked about the reproductive rights (Dobbs and Roe v. Wade) situation and the League’s commitment to women, health care, and privacy. She wondered, why is there nothing about this at the upcoming LWVUS national convention? She got together with LWVWA President Lunell Haught to write an eloquent argument for a resolution for the LWVUS Convention to consider (despite having missed the deadline). Using the Robert’s Rules of Order process for dealing with urgent matters, the convention delegates took up the resolution, which passed with a standing on Friday at the national convention. This was followed by a rally in Denver as well as rallies throughout Washington and the country. The League really is a grassroots organization.  

    The Resolution: 

    I [delegate Haught from Washington] move that the LWVUS Convention adopt the following resolution: Be it resolved that the LWVUS supports the rights of women and those who can become pregnant to self-determination related to, and including, but not limited to bodily autonomy, privacy, reproductive health, and lifestyle choice—LWV of Washington  

    The resolution passed by a vote of 837 yay, 4 nay; the organization has affirmed these values.  

     

    LWVWA member Jayne Freitag, LWV of Seattle-King County Administrative Manager Allison Feher, LWVWA Administrative Director Amy Peloff, and LWVWA President Lunell Haught at the reproductive rights rally in Seattle. 


    LWV of Kitsap County President Maurie Louis holding up a Vote sign at the reproductive rights rally held at the Bainbridge Island ferry dock. 

  • 13 Jul 2022 10:25 AM | Deleted user


    The following are volunteer roles the LWV of Washington is seeking help with. This is your opportunity to play an important part in your state League! 

    Office 365 Support 

    Do you know how to use SharePoint and/or Microsoft Teams? Have you ever set up some Power Automate actions? We need someone to help take the LWVWA to the next level in our technology usage. An expert would be great, but a tech-savvy person who is really interested in figuring out how to use these technologies to make the League more efficient and connected (and has the time and energy to do so) would be a big help, too! This work could include experimenting with the technology, providing tech support to members, administering guest access, exploring how to make this technology available to local Leagues, and any other ideas that we come up with. Contact Amy at apeloff@lwvwa.org. 

    Social Media Expert 

    The LWVWA is seeking a social-media savvy League member to help post to the LWVWA’s social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram). Role would require checking daily alerts and news sources for information about the League as well as posting interesting and educational events in line with League issues. Especially need someone who knows Instagram. Contact Lea at lgalanter@lwvwa.org. 

    Newsletter Editor 

    The LWV of Washington is seeking someone to work on editing the state newsletters, The Voter and This Month in the League. Each newsletter is published once a month (first and third Fridays). Tasks include collecting articles, reviewing articles for adherence to League style and proper English, and working with the LWVWA staff to produce the newsletters. The ideal person would have excellent writing and editing skills and be able to follow the LWVWA Style Guide, the Associated Press Stylebook, and LWVUS guidelines. Contact Lea at lgalanter@lwvwa.org. 

    MELD Pod Facilitator 

    The LWVWA is seeking Membership Engagement Leadership and Development (MELD) program pod facilitators, a position that involves about five hours a month. This includes a monthly 60-minute Zoom meeting with your assigned pod and writing a short report. The facilitators also meet once a month for an hour. The MELD program is a way for all League levels—local, state, and national—to communicate, share their successes and challenges, and receive information about programs and resources. This leadership position requires good listening and communication skills and the ability to facilitate a group discussionIf you’re interesting in being a pod facilitator, contact Miriam Kerzner for more information. 

  • 13 Jul 2022 10:21 AM | Deleted user


    By Lunell Haught, President, LWV of Washington 

    Summer is the time when we used to have umbrella drinks and loll on the beach, but not for League leaders. Many local Leagues are working with new boards and scheduling candidate debates and forums. Programs are being planned and many of us are getting in position to start the fall “running.” 

    The June LWVWA 2022 Council, in which we successfully implemented our recently changed bylaws to use staggered terms, included adding some new LWVWA/Education Fund Board members. Each Board member has a portfolio, or area of responsibility, and they can be contacted directly for assistance and ideas. (All League email addresses are [First initial][Last name]@lwvwa.org.)   

    Name 

    Title / Role 

    Lunell Haught (Spokane Area) 

    President, General Questions 

    Mary Coltrane (Seattle-King County)  

    First Vice President, Program 

    Beth Pellicciotti (Spokane Area)  

    Second Vice President, Civics Education 

    Jean Snider (Snohomish County)  

    Secretary, Research LWVWA (this year’s focus is external relationships) 

    Dee Ann Kline (Mason County)  

    LWVWA Treasurer 

    Myra Howrey  (Kitsap County)  

    LWVWA Education Fund Treasurer 

    Susan Fleming (Clark County)  

    Advocacy Portfolio Director 

    Susan Daniel (Kitsap County)  

    Democracy Outreach Portfolio Director 

    Liz Bander (Seattle-King County)  

    Communication Infrastructure Portfolio Director 

    Miriam Kerzner (Benton-Franklin Counties) 

    MELD Portfolio Director 

    Roslyn Duffy (Seattle-King County) 

    Development Portfolio Director 

    Shelley Kneip (Thurston County) 

    Voter Services Portfolio Director 


    Providing more services to members and local Leagues was a priority from League leaders—based on the results of the member survey—who discussed what should be included in the LWVWA’s work going forward. You will see more of these shared services in the coming year. One of the services will be a Board training that can be customized for specific Leagues. It takes into consideration a variety of leadership models. Cheryl Williams, Karen Tvedt, Karol Pulliam, and Lunell Haught have worked with an expert to create a workbook/video on-demand training. It will be free to local Leagues and available in the fall.  

  • 13 Jul 2022 10:17 AM | Deleted user

    By Joan Lawson, former LWVWA Board member, LWV Seattle-King County, First Hill Unit 

    When LWVWA President Lunell Haught was in Seattle during the LWVUS National Convention, she took the opportunity to visit League members of the First Hill Unit at Horizon House. The distinguished women who are members of the First Hill Unit have a wide range of League experience that goes from the mid-20th century to the early 21st century.    

    Dorothy Hopper’s interest in the League goes back to 1953, when she (unsuccessfully) attempted to start a League unit in Athol, Massachusetts, by inviting a League leader to come out from Boston. When her family moved to Newton, Massachusetts, she joined that League. Then, in 1981, she became a member of the LWV in Bellevue, Washington, and later became president. At Horizon House she joined the First Hill Unit and served as discussion leader. 

    Lou Templeton served on the LWVWA Nominating Committee for several years. She was president of the LWV of Port Angeles from 2010 to 2012, and a member of the state Board from 2011 to 2012 (working on Voter Services and the Nominating Committee). At the First Hill Unit, she organized Get Out the Vote actions and wrote legislator letters to ban assault weapons. 

    LWVWA President Lunell Haught at Horizon House in Seattle visiting members of the First Hill Unit. Bottom row, left to right, Dorothy Hopper, Lunell Haught, Lou Templeton, and Adele Reynolds; top row, left to right, Joan Lawson, Anne Anderson, and Mary Margaret Pruitt 

    Adele Reynolds was a member of the League from 1963 until 1977, when she began to work full-time with children. She because active in the League again in the early 2000s and was unit leader of the First Hill Unit from 2015 to 2020. She has served on the Board of the LWV of Seattle-King County as Education Committee Chair and now serves as Program Chair on that Board. 

    Joan Lawson Joined a local League in North Carolina in 1986 after its president invited her to tea. She was a fundraiser and then president. After moving to Horizon House in 2011, she became First Hill Unit leader, then served as Program Chair of the Seattle-King County Board. She has just completed a three-year term as Advocacy Portfolio Director on the LWVWA Board, working with the Lobby Team and Action Chairs of the state’s local Leagues.  

    Mary Margaret Pruitt joined the West Seattle League Unit in 1976 after her husband was elected to the Washington State House of Representatives because she wanted to have good information about current and needed legislation. She became active in the League again after moving to Horizon House and joined the First Hill Unit in 1995 when that unit had only a half-dozen members. 

    Anne Anderson joined the First Hill Unit about seven years ago. With 100 members in the unit, she coordinated meeting setup and now tracks membership and sends messages from the Steering Committee to unit members. 

  • 13 Jul 2022 10:09 AM | Deleted user

    By Beth Pellicciotti, Second Vice President, LWV of Washington 

    Recently, another League member and I agreed that volunteering at Voter Services tables can produce very special moments. I had one of these moments at a naturalization ceremony in June in Spokane for 20 new citizens. 

    The weather was not auspicious for such an occasion: it was cold and cloudy, with rain looming. However, the event itself signaled an important beginning. It was the first in-person naturalization ceremony for our federal district court (which includes Yakima and Richland) since the start of the pandemic.   

    It was also the beginning of the role of citizen for 20 people representing 16 countries, who, as the headline of the next day’s Spokesman-Review indicated, have “waited for this day for so long.” 

    Chairs were set in careful rows; the judge waited under a tent with the seal of the federal court in front; and the LWV of the Spokane Area had its own tent, table, and clipboards. The soon-to-be new citizens arrived with families in tow.  The ceremony moved quickly: those assembled took the oath of citizenship, received Certificates of Naturalization, and then waited in line for a picture with the judge.  

    My special moment came after the ceremony, when we had a line of people waiting to register to vote. In front of me stood an older gentleman, one of the new citizens, with his son and granddaughter. The granddaughter helped her grandfather complete the Voter Registration Form, and the son asked, “Can I register now, too?”   

    At that moment, I remembered how several League members are now exploring the concept of “Be a Voting Family.” Here was a voting family in front of me.   

    The granddaughter encouraged her grandfather to register; her father registered at the same time, and I hope the 16-year-old will follow up online. I told her she was eligible too, but she was committed to helping her grandfather, quickly translating from Spanish to English to complete the form.  

    The grandfather received a copy of The State We’re In: Washington, the LWVWA civics textbook gifted to the Spokane League to hand out to new citizens. I was gifted by a special moment with a voting family. 


    Spokane Area League member Becky Dickerhoof, right, with a new citizen’s family member from Idaho. The flags were popular with children, and the civics textbooks were front and center. (Photos by Beth Pellicciotti)

     

    The ceremony was held in front of the Spokane baseball stadium, with a representative from the Sons of the Revolution in costume, left. The judge was under a tent with the U.S. District Court sign in front.   Photo: Beth Pellicciotti 


    New citizens taking the Oath of Allegiance during the ceremony.

  • 21 Jun 2022 2:39 PM | Deleted user


    Postcards for Grads 

    Graduates across the nation are taking steps into a new stage of life. This is the perfect time to ensure they're ready to make their voices heard in our democracy. We've created postcards you can share with your recent grad to let them know how proud you are and to make it easy for them to participate in our government. You can download our three postcards (in English and Spanish) to send via email (or print and send via snail mail)


    Updated Abortion Messaging Guidance 

    The abortion talking points and messaging guidance for Leagues has been updated on the League Management Site. Use this guidance to speak with one voice on issues of reproductive justice. 

    Communications Workshop 

    “Communicating in Times of Conflict: How to Be Seen and Heard,” a LWVUS Observer Team virtual communications workshop, Thursday, June 30, 7 a.m.-9 a.m. PT. Organized by the Civil Society Unit in the Department of Global Communications (DGC) in collaboration with the Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC), this year's workshop examines and provides tools to help NGOs communicate accurate and reliable information, especially in times of crisis and conflict. The event will be live streamed on UN Platforms. Please note that the information on how to view the session will be sent to all registrants closer to the event date. Registration 

    Election Preparation Toolkit 

    Election season is here! Find everything you need to prepare with the Election Preparation Toolkit. This guide provides Leagues with helpful resources on public education, outreach, and action. 

    Evaluation Training Series Resources 

    Additional materials from the second training session have been added to the Evaluation Training Series page on the League Management Site. This includes the DEI survey sample and summary of results led by the LWV of Wisconsin. If you have any questions or comments, please email mschmalstig@lwv.org

    Other Resources 

    Notes from National 

    The LWV 2022 National Convention is going on as we speak. Even if you can’t attend  in person or online as a delegate, you can view the business materials available on the national League website. We’ll provide a roundup of the national convention in the July newsletter. 

    But we’d like to boast a bit… 

    While it’s too late to vote for the national awards, the LWVWA can boast that it has TWO Washington state projects that are finalists for awards at the LWVUS National Convention. The League of Women Voters of the United States will present its Powering Democracy Awards at the LWVUS 2022 Convention in Denver, Colorado, on June 26. The awards theme was inspired by the League’s Women Power Democracy campaign. Submissions reflect that the League is an organization fully committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in principle and in practice. The 2022 awards offer separate subcategories for state and local Leagues. 

    1. The LWVWA is a finalist for the Powering Democracy Award for its Be a Voter Campaign. The 2021 Be a Voter Campaign provided a broad suite of tools for local Leagues across Washington state to use at tabling and other events. With uniform messaging, an accompanying Be a Voter graphic, and the LWVWA logo on voter outreach tools, local Leagues achieved messaging synergies across a statewide audience. All of the Be Voter materials are available to download from the LWVWA website
    2. The League of Women Voters of the Spokane Area is a finalist for the Increasing Power Through Partnerships Award for its Civics Bowl. The Spokane League partnered with KSPS PBS, and Spokane Public Schools (SPS) to produce a unique project: a civics knowledge tournament for high school students. Members of the League provided the content and wrote questions, KSPS PBS produced the tournament and aired it during its regular programming, and Spokane Public Schools encouraged the participation of student teams from six high schools for this pilot season. 
  • 21 Jun 2022 2:31 PM | Deleted user


    Congratulations LWVWA! At the 2021 LWVWA Convention last year, with trepidation and concerns, the members voted to implement staggered terms so that there would be Board continuity for running this million-dollar-plus corporation. You did it! You voted to elect some officers and directors each year, and Shelley Ann Jones and her Nominating Committee did a fabulous job of recruiting nominees for this first election. There will be more recruiting for officers and directors at the 2023 LWVWA Convention. The board can also appoint additional directors, so if you or someone you know is interested in an interim appointment, please let us know (send email to president@lwvwa.org). The Nominating Committee works with the Board on these appointments. We have completed our first staggered election and are off to successful completion of an important strategy in ensuring the League's capacity to meet the challenges ahead. 

    The LWVWA Board includes the following: 

    President: Lunell Haught, Spokane Area  

    1st VP: Mary Coltrane, Seattle-King County  

    2nd VP: Beth Pellicciotti, Spokane Area  

    Secretary: Jean Snider, Snohomish County  

    501(c)(4) Treasurer: Dee Ann Kline, Mason County  

    501(c)(3) Treasurer: Myra Howrey, Kitsap County  

    Director: Liz Bander, Seattle-King County 

    Director: Susan Daniel, Kitsap County 

    Director: Roslyn Duffy, Seattle-King County 

    Director: Susan Fleming, Clark County  

    Director: Jayne Freitag, Seattle-King County 

    Director: Miriam Kerzner, Benton-Franklin County 

    Director: Shelley Kneip, Thurston County 

    Director: Julie Sarkissian, Seattle-King County  

    Welcome to the new Board members Liz Bander, Susan Daniel, Miriam Kerzner, Dee Ann Kline, and Shelley Kneip! 

    Many thanks to the retiring Board members Joan Lawson (Seattle-King County) and Linda Benson (Clallam County). 

The League of Women Voters of Washington is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization.
The League of Women Voters of Washington Education Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. LWVWA Education Fund contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. The League of Women Voters Education Fund does not endorse the contents of any web pages to which it links.

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