By Mary Coltrane, Voter Services Portfolio Director, LWV of Washington

We live in contentious times. Trust in election processes is under attack. What to do? Many Leagues in Washington state have developed new election observer programs or have beefed up their existing ones. The political parties typically send observers to watch election staff as they go through the process of collecting, organizing, and counting ballots—all the steps that go into this critical part of the election process. Many local Leagues do this important work as well. The Your Vote tabloid included an article on this process, “Volunteer Observers Bring Credibility to Elections.”

Those who participate in observing elections are quick to note what an amazing process it is. When questions swirl about this process, they can say with confidence that it’s a critical part of a free and fair election. How about your League? If you are interested in knowing how to set up an election observer program, local League experts are here to help.

Edri Geiger shepherded the Clark County League through the process of setting up an observer program, and Cynthia Stewart of the Tacoma-Pierce County League has done the same for Pierce County. They are both happy to talk with League members from other local Leagues who would like guidance on what to do. Please let me, Mary Coltrane, know if you’re interested and I’ll facilitate an introduction to these knowledgeable people.

Photo courtesy of King County Elections.

Do you know that Washington state has nine Educational Service Districts (ESDs), which each contain multiple school districts? Which one is yours?

ESDs serve the professional development needs of teachers and administrators. Karen Verrill, project manager for The State We’re In: Washington civics education textbooks, is leading a committee of League members who will contact curriculum experts in all Washington state ESDs in an effort to get these books into more classrooms. The question is, how can teachers access these civics resources in book form or online? Do you have contacts to share? Contact Karen Verrill.

By Beth Pellicciotti, Civics Education Portfolio Chair, LWV of Washington

LWV of Snohomish County member Rita Ireland is “trying to enrich democracy one page at a time.” As a recipient of the LWVWA Civic Education Fund Grant, and with support from her League, she is delivering free LWVWA textbooks of The State We’re In: Washington to elementary school teachers, librarians, and curriculum directors.

Rita’s enthusiasm about the new civics textbook for elementary schools is contagious. “We needed this textbook for years. For instance, it covers the early days of pioneers in Washington state and makes clear that we did not follow through with the Indigenous treaties.”

She describes the storytelling in the textbook as critically important for the younger reader. “One of the stories is about the son of farm workers, Saul Martinez, who began his public service as a member of the Pasco school board and currently serves as mayor of Pasco. Martinez’s story focuses on his father’s yearning for education and ends with Martinez describing his work as mayor and encouraging all youngsters to be dedicated to school and to follow their dreams.”

As enthusiastic as Rita is about the textbook, she had to develop a strategy to connect with those in charge of libraries, classrooms, and textbook adoption. First, she received approval for her work from the LWV of Snohomish County Board. Then she researched the names of key contacts—curriculum directors—in each school district and crafted an introductory letter about the significance of the textbook to teaching young children civics and Washington state history. She also included a picture of the book and the accompanying poster, "What Does It Take to Be a Good Citizen?"

Rita had to be persistent. She followed the introductory email with a second email two weeks later, asking for possible dates to deliver the textbook and poster. Rita has a way of making even textbook delivery fun, assuring those in the schools that this delivery would be the perfect chance for her and her husband to have a road trip date.

Rita and another Snohomish County League member designed a nameplate for each book listing the LWVWA Civic Education Fund as the creator of the textbook and the LWVWA Civic Education Fund Grant and the Snohomish County League as the gift’s funders. Snohomish County League members met at her home to help with textbook and poster preparation, with Snohomish County League Board members assisting with book delivery.

Textbook distribution is a work in progress, but the effort to date has been impressive. Out of the 15 school districts Rita has contacted, 12 have set a delivery date for the textbooks, an 80% success rate. Rita believes that “if I can get the book in the hands of elementary school librarians, teachers, and curriculum directors, that is like gold.”

Rita is not “selling” textbooks—she is highlighting the importance of civics education for elementary schoolchildren. In all her correspondence, she emphasizes that The State We’re In: Washington is free. It is an online, open education resource for young students to learn civics education.

Now she is considering a book display in local libraries, with the question, “Parents—are you interested in teaching your child civics?”

Rita Ireland—"Enriching democracy one page at a time.”

See for yourself: The State We’re In: Washington elementary-grade textbook is free, online, and ADA compliant.

Consider applying for a LWVWA Civic Education Fund Grant: LWVWA Civics Education Grant Guidelines (see pages 21-27).

From left to right: The State We’re In: Washington textbooks for elementary schools and the poster "What Does It Take to Be a Good Citizen"; delivering textbooks and posters from Olympia to Snohomish County are Rita Ireland with Thurston County League members Paula Holroyde and The State We’re In project manager, Karen Verrill; bookplate for each donated textbook created by the LWV of Snohomish County and the LWVWA Civic Education Fund Grant.

Win at Trivial Pursuit! When was the first Temperance and Good Citizenship Day in Washington state? Hint: not long after women won the right to vote and the League of Women Voters was established.

In 1923 the Washington State Legislature proclaimed Temperance and Good Citizenship Day. Almost 100 years later, the purpose is still the same: “To promote civics education and peaceful citizen engagement.”

Clark County League member Teresa Torres talked about the purpose of this day with high school juniors, telling them that:

Temperance and Good Citizenship Day seems like an odd name for an important date. In this case, temperance means exhibiting moderation. Today you are going to learn an important part of being a good citizen—registering to vote and then using that right for the common good.

Read Teresa’s recent article, “Local View: Observance Vital for Democracy,” in The Columbian.

State law requires that all high schools in Washington state reserve this day every year for voter registration. Did your League work with schools for Temperance and Good Citizenship Day on January 14, 2022? Contact LWVWA Board Member Beth Pellicciotti—she would like to learn more about your work with schools.

By the LWV of Washington Nominating Committee

Do you have a passion for our democracy and defending it in these difficult times? Have you thought about your role in leading the LWV of Washington into the future?

If you're like me, the last few weeks have been tough. Commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection, watching the same violent footage, and hearing some members of the U.S. Congress defend or even deny what happened can be beyond discouraging. But I hope you are also like me and turning that discouragement into motivation to do everything possible to defend our democracy from very real threats.

Service on the state board offers an opportunity to work collaboratively toward LWVWA goals, share your League successes with other members, build your leadership skills, help set the future for the LWVWA, and expand your commitment to the League.

We have extended the application deadline through February to give you some extra time to consider applying to the LWVWA Board.

We are looking for individuals who are:

• Dedicated to the League’s mission, “Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.”
• Committed to the LWVWA’s strategic plan, our nonpartisan policy, our commitment to advocacy, voter services, civic education, communications, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

The position serves on both the LWV of Washington Education Fund (c3) and LWV of Washington (c4) Boards.

We encourage individuals with varying work and volunteer experiences to apply. Whatever your background, we would like to talk to you. We seek individuals who are creative and hard-working. If this sounds like you, apply to the LWVWA Board. We also welcome your recommendations for candidates to the LWVWA Board.

More information about how you can contribute your time and talent by serving on the LWVWA Board is available on the LWVWA website. If you would like to know more, contact the Nominating Committee at nomcom@lwvwa.org.

By Dee Anne Finken, Local and Regional News Study Chair, LWV of Washington

The state study looking at the impact of the decline in local and regional news operations continues its work as the new year begins: the study group has already conducted 20 interviews, primarily with scholars, journalism professionals, and government and civic leaders. The 10 League members who are participating have reviewed more than 400 articles and other documents.

Among the findings to date are a correlation between the decline and increased public financing costs, less scrutiny of government and corporate decisions and actions, greater political polarization, and reduced civic engagement.

Studies the group has reviewed include Financing Dies in Darkness: The Impact of Newspaper Closures on Public Finance; When Towns Lose Their Newspapers, Disease Detectives Are Left Flying Blind; When Newspapers Close, Voters Become More Partisan; and Civic Engagement Strongly Tied to Local News Habits. 

Much has been written about the national decline; this study group is tracking staff cutbacks and closures in Washington state, and then looking at how those reductions are impacting various aspects of our society, including public health, public financing, civic engagement, and political participation (by candidates and voters). We are tracking how civic and government leaders view these changes and specifically how they impact our basic democratic systems.

The group is researching a range of suggestions for turning the tide, including the development of community partnerships, nonprofits, and legislation. Also being addressed is how the pandemic has changed the climate for news organizations and consumers.

Another area being explored is the impact social media giants are having, from publishing content local and regional news operations produce to the advertising revenues they capture. Additionally, sources are addressing the impact of misinformation and disinformation from social media and so-called “pink slime” publications that, while pretending to focus on local news, are actually promoting partisan issues and gathering user data.

Celebrating the League’s Birthday

In February, the League will be celebrating its 102nd birthday with action, advocacy, and storytelling. Women have powered democracy for over 100 years, and for our birthday we are coming together across the country to build power for elections in 2022. We will honor the 102-year legacy of our organization with a day of unified, pro-voter action as one League, together. Celebrate the League’s legacy by joining Leagues across the country for LWV Birthday Action on Feb. 14, 2022. Sign your League up to take action. More resources are to come.

2022 Legislative Trends

The LWVUS strives to provide guidance and policy outlooks to state and local Leagues around the country, whether it be tracking legislation, interpreting bills, or responding to advocacy inquiries. The League is revamping its legislative guidance this year to provide a better outlook on the trends that Leagues may expect in state legislatures. This comes in direct response to feedback from League leaders, and we hope it will be helpful as Leagues consider their legislative priorities for 2022.

LWUVS Advocacy Legislative Office Hours

To provide more direct support to Leagues this coming year, the LWVUS Advocacy team will be officially launching Legislative Office Hours—register and see dates. This is a regular space to open our virtual offices and listen to and support your legislative work. To start, office hours will be the second and last Thursdays of every month, from 3–4 p.m. ET/noon-1 p.m. PT. To accommodate those interested, please plan on having the meetings last up to 15 minutes. If you plan on calling about specific positions or bills, please contact us at advocacy@lwv.org with an email subject “Leg Office Hours,” a brief description of what you wish to discuss, and any documents/attachments. This will ensure our team can come to our meeting as prepared as possible.

LWVUS Small-Dollar Funding Flyer

Prior to the holiday break, the LWVUS sent boxes of small half-page flyers to state Leagues outlining the merits of small-dollar campaign funding. It is our hope that Leagues will use these flyers over the course of the next year as we work to engage voters in the 2022 election. Provisions in the Freedom to Vote Act provide the opportunity for states to create small-dollar funding systems, which give voters more of a voice in elections. Whether the bill passes or not, we will need to build support for small-dollar funding across the country. If you have any questions or concerns, or you are a state League that has not received flyers, please reach out to jjones@lwv.org.

Updated LWV Website and Resources

For the past year, the LWVUS team has been hard at work on a website redesign that showcases the LWVUS even more powerfully. We're pleased to announce that the updated site design will launch the week of January 24! This relaunch is the first major part of ongoing work to make our site stronger and includes:

• New homepage design that better highlights our focus areas, major legal cases, recent news, and VOTE411.
• An update to the main directory of resources and points of contact. The Guide to LWV Services for Leagues is the best starting place for League leaders to receive answers to their questions and get in touch with the right staff person at the LWVUS.
• Modernized design across the site.
• Custom "Take Action" to-do lists on our primary issue pages to empower users to get involved.
• Enhanced search abilities, including the ability to search by content type and topic.
• On-page donation options to ease the donor experience.
• Accessibility upgrades on the back end to improve the user experience.

This is ongoing work—changes currently in progress or coming later in the year include:

• A legal center with detailed information about all our legal cases.
• A new design for our League Management Site.
• Thorough accessibility upgrades to all of our content.
• Updates to all of our web content.

We're very excited to introduce the new site design to you and to continue our digital enhancements throughout 2022.

2022 Program Planning Leader’s Guide & Survey

The Program Planning Leader's Guide and survey response form are now available for Leagues to use at their program planning meetings in early 2022. The input of League boards will help shape the proposed program of study and actions that will be voted on by convention delegates in June. Program planning report forms must be returned online by Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Each League is entitled to one response, and individual member responses are not accepted. Access the Leader’s Guide and the 2022 Program Survey. For questions about program planning, email progplan@lwv.org.

LWVUS 2022 Convention

The 2022 Convention will take place June 23–26 in Denver, CO, and online. Current information is available now on the LWVUS website, including FAQs as well as the following resources:

• Proposed Bylaws Amendments
• Program Planning Survey Forms
• Hardship Designations
• Caucus Applications
• Wares Market Table Applications
• Event registration and hotel reservations are scheduled to open at the end of January.
  
  

In Case You Missed It

• Blog: 5 Ways to Defend Democracy in 5 Minutes, by LWV president Dr. Deborah Ann Turner
• Blog: The League's 2021 Accomplishments, by CEO Virginia Kase Solomón
• Report: Election Audit Report comparing 2009 League Guidance and the 2021 Bipartisan Policy Center Report

New Redistricting 101 Video  

The LWVUS is excited to launch What Is Redistricting?, a 60-second video that explains the redistricting process, its impact, and how people can get involved. This is a new tool for Leagues to use that can be found on the League of Women Voters YouTube channel.  

Additionally, the LWVUS has created a social media toolkit that includes a link to the video and sample social media posts to use when sharing the video online.  

VOTE411 Voter Guide Platform Training 

You still have three more chances to take the VOTE411 Voter Guide platform training on the new voter guide technology, which all Leagues will use to complete their 2022 voter guides. The training will teach you about the new platform and you will be able to ask questions about the technology or the VOTE411 program in general. These webinars are for both current VOTE411 Leagues and Leagues that have never used the platform before—if you’re curious and want to learn more, register now! The final three trainings will be held on the following dates, with registration required. You need only register for one training, as all trainings are the same.  

Saturday, Dec. 18, 9 a.m. PT 

Tuesday, Dec. 28, 11 a.m. PT 

Thursday, Jan. 6, 3 p.m. PT 

How Native American Women Inspired the Women’s Suffrage Movement 

Read the LWVUS blog post on the vital role that Native American women played in the women’s suffrage movement, although they were excluded themselves from the movement. 

A League Member’s View of the UN Climate Change Conference 

During the first two weeks in November, the United Kingdom hosted the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. One League member received a scholarship to attend this event as a delegate observer for the LWV of the United States. Read her report on the LWVUS website 

With the holiday season upon us, the newsletters will be published on the following schedule: 

• The Voter, will not be published the first week of January. The next Voter will be published on February 4, 2022 (article deadline Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022). 

• This Month in the League will be published on January 21, 2022 (article deadline Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022). 

In the meantime, the Washington State legislative session begins Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, and is scheduled to run through Thursday, March 10, 2022. In anticipation of the legislative session, the first Legislative Newsletter will be published prior to the legislative start and then published every Sunday throughout the legislative session. Don’t forget to sign up for the Legislative Newsletter. 

You can find submission information for both newsletters in every TMIL as well as on the LWVWA website. 

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year from the LWV of Washington! 

By Susan Fleming, Advocacy Lobby Team Portfolio Director, LWVWA

Sad to say, the holidays will soon be behind us. But the exciting work of moving our wonderful state of Washington forward will be commencing when the 2022 legislature begins on Monday, Jan. 10. There is so much on the table for this short, 60-day session, which has already started in many ways. Bills are being proposed, committees are forming and meeting, and the legislative chambers and legislators’ offices in Olympia are being prepared—even if some things will be remote this session.

Lobby Week is also one of those things that will be remote again this year. We need to remember that while conducting business remotely has its challenges, it also has benefits, such as the ability to meet and testify from home! So many more of us have been able to participate because of this—it is perhaps a step forward for democracy.

Lobby Week begins on Monday, Jan. 24 and concludes on Thursday, Jan. 27. The first evening will be a jam-packed, information-filled program, followed by two and a half days of district-level meetings with legislators, and a concluding program on the final evening. The Monday evening program, which begins at 5 p.m., will include:

• Democracy topics, including elections, voting, and money in politics
• Redistricting status and ongoing work
• Climate, land use, and housing
• A moderated panel discussion with legislative leaders
• A How-to-Lobby session, including questions and answers

For more information and to register, visit the Lobby Week page on the League website. A $5 donation is requested to help cover expenses; this will be shared with our co-sponsor, Fix Democracy First. An additional donation to either Fix Democracy First or the League of Women Voters of Washington is welcome and appreciated.

Please join us for this event. It’s a great way to both learn about the upcoming session and get real experience lobbying along with folks in your district.