The LWV of Washington is seeking volunteers for the following roles. This is a great opportunity to play an important part in your state League!

VOTE411 Volunteers

The Vote411 Committee is seeking a new member or two to take over responsibility for candidate questions. This entails soliciting questions on current issues from local Leagues well in advance of the primary election each year; reviewing and, if necessary, editing the questions according to League standards; and maintaining our file of generic questions for races for which we do not have local questions. Work begins in April each year, with the bulk of it taking place in May and early June. This job is essential to the committee’s efforts to reach out to both candidates and voters. If you have the interest and can spare the time, please consider taking it on. We provide training. Please contact Beatrice Crane, VOTE411 Project Manager, at vote411@lwvwa.org for more information.

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.

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 discussion. If you’re interested in being a pod facilitator, contact Miriam Kerzner for more information.

Women’s Equality Day?

Today, Friday, August 26, has been celebrated annually as Women's Equality Day to honor the certification of the 19th Amendment. Yet with our voting and reproductive rights under attack, women are still not equal in our democracy. This year, the League is observing Women's Inequality Day, a campaign that will consist of a video and open letter in the Washington Post signed by women leaders from national organizations demanding that our reproductive rights be restored and protected, that our representatives pass voting rights legislation, and that the Equal Rights Amendment be added to the Constitution.

Join the LWVUS in taking a stand by sharing #WomensInequalityDay across your social networks. The League has created a toolkit for Leagues to use that includes talking points, social media graphics, and captions. While Leagues may already have content or campaigns planned for Women's Equality Day, please note that this toolkit is available for Leagues interested in participating. We are not requiring Leagues to align with the LWVUS’s messaging on Women’s Equality Day.

LWVUS Draft Policies

The LWVUS board has developed two draft policies that provide clarity on organization-wide expectations for the LWVUS and state and local League members in the form of a League Rights and Responsibilities Policy and a Member Rights and Responsibilities Policy. These policies were formulated from existing bylaws, politics, and legal or nonprofit best practices.

As the LWVUS board and staff prepare to finalize and implement these policies, they are seeking additional input from the field. They are asking state and local League boards to review the proposed policies and submit comments. Your feedback is critical to ensuring the policies are the most useful they can be, and that all perspectives have been considered.

To give boards time to meet and discuss the policies, the comment period has been reopened and extended to Oct. 11, 2022. Individuals and Leagues can submit their comments on the forms posted at the bottom of each page. Comments may be submitted collaboratively or individually. The LWVUS is currently reviewing each comment and pulling out themes and questions from the original comment period. Additionally, LWVUS staff will be developing an FAQ later this month.

Recruit Your Community for Poll Worker Recruitment Day!

On Tuesday, August 16, Power the Polls relaunched Poll Worker Recruitment Day. With the midterm elections fast approaching, the need to recruit and engage poll workers is increasingly urgent and essential to our democracy. In 2020, Power the Polls and its partners recruited over 700,000 potential poll workers. This year, Power the Polls is activating partners to make a concerted push to recruit new potential poll workers ahead of November. Join us in ensuring safe, free, and fair elections for all voters! Learn more and take action with this partner toolkit.

Sign Up for National Voter Registration Day 2022

National Voter Registration Day 2022 is coming up on September 20, and 280 Leagues have already signed up. Take part by signing on as an official partner and hosting a virtual or in-person registration event. Grant funding available—check out the grant application. You can promote the day via a community registration drive, spread the word on social media, text voters to remind them about registration deadlines, or work with partners to spread the word. The message is simple: now is the time to register or update your registration to ensure you can vote in the upcoming midterm elections.

Updated Social Media Guide

With midterm elections just around the corner, the League has produced an updated social media guide for state and local Leagues. This guide includes goals and best practices for each platform, frequently asked questions, and resources on how to promote the LWV’s mission work while amplifying the critical work your League is doing.

2022 Election Observation Toolkit

The LWVUS now has an updated Election Observation Toolkit. Election observer programs provide a unique opportunity to learn about your community's election process firsthand, ensure that all eligible voters can exercise their right to vote, and empower Leagues to gather information about how to improve the process.

Spanish VOTE411 Logos

The League has expanded its VOTE411 logos package to include print and web logos in Spanish.

Congress Has Money on Its Mind

The Senate Rules Committee held a hearing on the DISCLOSE Act, which would increase transparency in campaign finances. The League’s CEO, Virginia Kase Solomón, spoke in favor of the legislation, stating, “Voters have the right to know who is making large campaign contributions to influence elections.” Tell your senators to support the DISCLOSE Act.

Responses to January 6

U.S. Senators announced a bipartisan deal to reform the Electoral Count Act and Presidential Transition Act. The bill’s reforms would clarify the roles of elected officials and the vice president in the election process, protecting the nation from future attacks like the January 6 insurrection. The announcement comes on the heels of the bipartisan House Select Committee hearings on the January 6 attack, which ended on July 21. The League looks forward to the committee's findings, which are expected to be shared this fall.

The League’s Redistricting Impact

Three years after its creation, the League’s People Powered Fair Maps program has released its impact report highlighting the importance of everyday involvement in redistricting. The program, which launched in the wake of the landmark case Rucho v. LWV of North Carolina, aimed to increase awareness of and participation in the decennial community districting process. The report found that through the Fair Maps program over 1.4 million people were engaged in local districting, five states implemented community-drawn maps, and six states increased their process’s transparency.

AUGUST

Friday, August 26—Women’s (In)Equality Day, celebrating the certification of the 19th Amendment and demanding more from our lawmakers.

Tuesday, August 30—LWVUS August Community Call, 2 p.m. PT. A space for state Leagues to share and learn about organizing efforts. This month, we will hear from state Leagues about the critical role of partnerships and coalitions in their work.

SEPTEMBER

Monday, September 12—LWVWA and LWVWA Education Fund Board Meetings. Information available on the LWVWA website.

Thursday, September 15—From Study-to-Consensus Process meeting, 6:30 p.m. Zoom link to come.

Tuesday, September 20—National Voter Registration Day. Sign up to promote the day.

Tuesday, September 20—LWV of Mason County Candidate Forum, noon PT, Shelton Civic Center, Shelton, WA.

OCTOBER

Thursday, October 6—LWVWA Candidate Debate. More info to come.

Monday, October 10— LWVWA and LWVWA Education Fund Board Meetings. Information available on the LWVWA website.

Tuesday, October 11—Deadline to submit feedback on LWVUS proposed policies (League Rights and Responsibilities Policy and a Member Rights and Responsibilities Policy).

Thursday, October 13—LWVWA Candidate Debate. More info to come.

Thursday, October 13—LWV of Mason County “Speed Dating with the Candidates,” 6:30 p.m., Shelton Civic Center, Shelton, WA. More information.

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.

By Mary Coltrane, Program Chair, LWVWA

One of the most interesting things about the League is the way we arrive at our positions. As you likely know, the League of Women Voters—at all levels—will only take action on positions that we have on the books. This year is the first time in many years that the state League will be adding new positions to its accumulated positions—some going back as far as the 1950s, such as Redistricting and Reapportionment (1955).

How does this happen? Local Leagues submit program ideas to the state Board, typically in January, in odd-numbered years. The state board compiles a list of recommended—and not recommended—items for consideration at the state convention. If an item is approved, a study committee is formed to produce the study. When they have completed their work, the fun part begins: finding consensus and writing a new position.

At the 2019 and 2021 conventions, delegates approved two studies: the Shorelines Study Report 2022 (now available) and a Washington state local and regional news study (you can read all about the forthcoming study in this TMIL). The committees charged with producing these reports are now ready to send them to local Leagues for review and consensus-making. Each local League participating in this process will return consensus statements to the state League and new positions will be drafted—keeping in mind that there may not be consensus on the issues the studies illuminate. That’s what we’ll find out.

The League is proud to have many new members; many may not be familiar with this process. The end game is a position that’s based on member understanding. That’s what makes a League stance so powerful. Your local League will be holding meetings to discuss and review the study findings and answer the consensus questions, so be on the lookout for the opportunity to participate.

Playing a part in one of these discussions will remind you that civil discourse is possible even when exchanging a wide variety of views on an important topic. The state Board knows that not everyone can participate, but we want to make it as easy and fun as possible so it will work for you. Whether you are a new or a longtime member, please join the state Board program team at a general meeting where we will go over the study-to-consensus-to-position process in detail. Mark your calendar for Thursday, September 15 at 6:30 p.m. and watch for the Zoom link in a regular Tuesday update from the state League.

Images from Random House Children’s Books

By Beth Pellicciotti, Civic Education Portfolio Director, LWVWA

Laura Milner, chair of Voter Services for the LWV of Kittitas County, created a unique partnership involving the Kittitas League, a local bookstore, the Ellensburg Morning Rotary, and their Little Free Libraries. Through this partnership, copies of One Vote, Two Votes, I Vote, You Vote are being distributed to neighborhood children across Ellensburg.

The book, part of the Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library Book series, is written in simple rhyme and introduces children to the idea of voting—it now includes 16 bonus pages of kid-friendly voting activities.

Jerrol's, an Ellensburg bookstore, subsidized the purchase of 30 copies of this election book for kids with funding from the Kittitas League. Milner, a member of both the League and the Rotary, proposed to the Rotary Literacy Committee that they distribute this book through their own Little Free Library (take a book, share a book) and the public mobile library. Both organizations reach out with children’s books to underserved neighborhoods.

This is a great example of civic education for children made possible through League support and partnerships with community-based organizations. This project was also featured in an article in the Ellensburg Daily Record. Thank you, Laura Milner! For more information on this partnership, contact Laura Milner, LWV of Kittitas County.

By Dee Anne Finken, LWV of Clark County, and Delores Irwin, LWV of Kittitas County, Local News Study Co-chairs

The state study The Decline of Local News and Its Impact on Democracy is nearly complete and goes to the LWVWA Board of Directors for consideration at its September meeting. Meanwhile, study committee members are preparing a presentation to share highlights of the report with local Leagues. The study focuses on the impact that the closure of local newspapers—whether print, online, or a hybrid version—has had on life in Washington state.

While the United States has lost more than a quarter of its local newspapers since 2004, Washington state has lost about 20%, with the closure of more than two dozen weeklies and three dailies. The loss of newspaper jobs in Washington state is greater than the national average—the Evergreen State has lost 67% of its newsroom employees compared with 50% nationwide.

The report also talks about the effect of reduced coverage by existing papers. Coverage by remaining local news publications, both nationally and statewide, has decreased dramatically, with hundreds of papers publishing far fewer pages—in some cases as much as 50% fewer.

The LWVWA study looks at whether the state has experienced the same results that national studies have identified: less oversight of local government, higher financing costs for public construction projects, reduced voter participation, less community engagement, and other developments.

In a nutshell, the findings about the impact of the decline for both Washington state and the nation can be summarized in this observation by a Washington State University communications professor: “It’s not a journalism problem. It’s a democracy problem.”

An early overview of the study is available now. Committee members Joanne Lisosky and Carol Rikerd, both of the Tacoma-Pierce County League, have produced a three-minute video of the report. Meanwhile the 10-member study committee is preparing an hour-long program of the study’s highlights for local Leagues (available after Oct. 2), which will be helpful for those Leagues seeking details in advance of considering the report’s consensus questions and a potential policy position vote at the LWVWA convention in May 2023.

If your local League would like the committee to present the program via Zoom, contact co-chairs Dee Anne Finken or Delores Irwin.

In 2020, the LWV of Kittitas County held its first Democracy Rocks treasure hunt as a way to engage and educate voters during the 2020 primary election. This year, the hunt was back and featured 17 amazing women, past and present, who have made a positive impact on Kittitas County.

In February, the Kittitas League sent out invitations to Kittitas County museums, libraries, art galleries, bookstores, newspapers, and others to participate as host sites for its Kittitas Women Rock display posters. In addition to sharing information about these little-known women, we wanted to drive traffic back into host organizations and businesses that had suffered during the pandemic.

The Kittitas League had 15 positive responses and lots of excitement about the idea and learned about some amazing women in the process. This year, the League created a Democracy Rocks Treasure Hunt webpage with all the hunt details.

The hunt kicked off on July 1 and ran through August 12. In addition to giving out clues and hints for treasure hunters, the hunt included “Did you know?” facts about voting, registering to vote, and more. As during the first treasure hunt, traffic on the website and across social media was way up.

So far, members have donated more than $550 in gift certificates to area businesses and services to be split into prize awards for the treasure hunters.

Both the inaugural hunt in 2020 and this year’s hunt were underwritten with civics grants from the LWV of Washington, for which the Kittitas League is very grateful. The League views these hunts as primarily a LWV awareness and civic education event (read the Ellensburg Daily Record article on the hunt). The fun is a cherry on top.

For other local Leagues that might be interested in holding a similar event, the LWVWA has a Treasure Hunt Toolkit that is available.

And some treasure hunt buzz:

• From a local reporter: “This is an awesome thing you all have created! It wouldn’t be biased or sexist to say that over the past 15 years I’ve been here, women have been the core of MANY things groups, organizations, charities, schools, and businesses have accomplished. This program gives them a deserved spotlight!”
• From a treasure hunter: “We are submitting this log for our granddaughter, Emily (age 10), to enter for [the] Best Hunter prize. She was accompanied by us (her grandparents) on this treasure hunt. We met so many friendly and helpful people on this journey. We all learned a lot about some very exceptional women who made so many great things happen for our community and the entire county. Thank you for creating this fun and informative experience.”

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.

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.

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:

• The LWV of Washington's Be a Voter Campaign for the Powering Democracy Award.  

• The LWV of the Spokane Area for the Increasing Power Through Partnerships Award for its Civics Bowl.  

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.