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

Are you curious about the work of the LWVWA Board of Directors? You can learn more about being a Board member at the Nominating Committee Meet-and-Greet sessions on Thursday, Dec. 9, at either 10:30 a.m. or 6:30 p.m. Use the following links for each session: 

Thursday, Dec. 9, 10:30 a.m.: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85267741867?pwd=blU1SzBRMDhNZCtvbE9jZytnL0NRQT09 

Thursday, Dec. 9, 6:30 p.m.: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85017328048?pwd=dUhmVExGb1J0R0preGtKSXhWb3lNZz09 

For more information about joining the LWVWA Board of Directors, check the LWVWA website. Read further to hear about the Board experiences of two new Board members, Dee Ann Kline and Julie Sarkissian. 

Dee Ann Kline, LWV of Mason County 

Dee Ann is the (c)(4) treasurer on the LWVWA Board, and her League work started right after the LWVWA 2021 Convention.  

As (c)(4) treasurer, she pays the bills and balances the books. She is the Board liaison to the current LWVWA Local and Regional News Study and to one of the Membership Engagement and Leadership Development (MELD) groups, which are called pods. She said that Board members are asked to participate in any number of Board activities. 

When asked how she became interested in LWVWA work, she answered, “It was not on my radar. I was very surprised to be contacted last year.”  

During the nomination, application, and interview process, she worked closely with a member of the Nominating Committee, who guided her through all the steps. For Dee Ann, it was a “comfortable” process, and she was in the loop the whole time. 

After a few months doing LWVWA Board work, she believes the position suits her. She managed hospital laboratories for years, tracking a budget, and enjoys being a “behind-the-scenes person.” As she currently relocates for months in the spring, Zoom meetings will help her connect to her work on the state Board and continue working with her local League.  

When asked how her local League experience prepared her for LWVWA Board work, Dee Ann answered, “My local League members are very collaborative and very supportive of each other and League activities, and I see that same thing in the state Board.” She noted that the (c)(3) treasurer, Myra Howrey, has been very helpful and that President Lunell Haught stresses that Board members are there to help each other.  

What is Dee Ann’s advice to members thinking of applying to the state Board? “If you are at all interested in taking your expertise to the state Board, just do it. Apply. It is scary to put yourself out there, but I know you will have enough conversations with the Nominating Committee to know if this is the right fit for you.”  

Julie Sarkissian, LWV of Seattle-King County 

Julie Sarkissian is the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) portfolio director on the LWVWA Board. She describes her work this way: “The DEI portfolio is a good example of how portfolios interrelate. I want to understand if we are reaching our DEI goals in many other areas—voter services, civics education, and advocacy.” 

Julie emphasizes that DEI is a process. “I want to focus and support what our local Leagues want to do, not to mention how we can all become more inclusive.”  

When asked how she became a state Board member, she said, “There was a recruitment process; two members of the Nominating Committee contacted me, encouraging me to apply.” 

She was both surprised and intrigued, “I hadn’t really thought about it before. That got me thinking. It would be interesting to learn about the League. I wanted to support an organization that has made it 100 years. We stand on some amazing shoulders.”  

During the interview, she learned more about the work of the LWVWA Board. The interview was about an hour and the questions were structured. Julie said, “It gave me the feeling that the organization is going to be professionally run and structured as well. I had seen President Lunell Haught in action at the 2020 Council, and she seemed like a really good leader.” 

When asked what was surprising about state Board work, Julie said, “The biggest surprise was how many projects and portfolios and activities were going on. My own weakness was not understanding the portfolio process. On the application form and during the interview, I was asked what I was interested in; some background on this would have been helpful.” 

She then described her entry into the organization, “I was appointed to one portfolio, but soon switched with another Board member to a different portfolio.” DEI seems to be a good fit for her talents and interests. 

She recommends that anyone interested in learning more about state Board meetings and work should attend a monthly Board meeting (open to all members and on Zoom).  

She added, “Realize that state Board work is a fairly big commitment. You have two (three-hour) Board meetings a month, a portfolio, and possibly a MELD meeting monthly.” 

She believes state Board members should be hard-working, creative, and committed to collaboration. She explained, “We have a lot of people who are champions, but we also need collaborators. I think this quality is needed. Collaboration implies give and take.”  

By Maurie Louis, President, LWV of Kitsap County 

Over the past few years, the Kitsap League has established a great relationship with the Kitsap County auditor, Paul Andrews, working closely with him and his office in their efforts to get out the vote. Andrews also participated in the LWVWA Your Vote project. On election day, Andrews sent the following nice letter showing his appreciation for the League’s work. It's a great team effort. 

Good morning, 

Happy Election Day! 

I wanted to thank the League of Women Voters for being a voice in the community and putting together all of the forums with candidates to help better inform the public. 

Your efforts are appreciated by everyone in my office. 

Your ballot drop box signs around the county by postal boxes look great, this is one of those visual things you do that I feel makes a big difference. 

Today is the day you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor and enjoy watching voters exercise their right, selecting who will represent them and what they think is important in the community. 

Thank you again for everything you do, we really enjoy working with you. 

Please share with others I may have missed. 

Thank you, 

Paul Andrews 

Kitsap County Auditor 

Vote Early Day October 23 

For states that allow early and mail-in voting (that’s us!), celebrate Vote Early Day on Saturday, Oct. 23 by filling out your ballot and putting it in a drop box or mailing it. Ballots in Washington state are going out today, Oct. 15. 

LWV Presents Workshop on Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement 

The LWVUS, in conjunction with the LWV of California and many other local Leagues, is presenting a members-only workshop with the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) on Thursday, Oct. 21, noon to 1 p.m. PT. Interest in civilian oversight of law enforcement has grown significantly in the League and in our communities. This workshop is especially for members new to this issue who need help getting started. Experienced League members will benefit from hearing the latest research and what is happening in other Leagues across the country, with a special emphasis on sheriffs. Register for the workshop. 

Freedom to Vote Act Talking Points 

The national League has created talking points for Leagues to use when messaging about the Freedom to Vote Act. To learn more about the bill, read Jessica Jones Capparell's blog explaining what the bill entails. 

Deadline Nearing to Apply for the LWVUS Board and Nominating Committee 

The national League’s Nominating Committee is still accepting applications and recommendations for candidates for the national Board and Nominating Committee, but the application deadline is coming up Friday, Oct. 29. If you are passionate about the League’s mission of empowering voters and defending democracy, consider taking this step to help build the League’s future. For an overview of serving on the LWVUS Board of Directors and Nominating Committee, attend the National Leadership Info Session on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. PT.  

September DEI Webinar Recording 

If you missed the September DEI webinar, “Revisiting Being Inclusive in Our Understanding of Holidays and Our Calendars,” you can listen to it on the national website. The webinar examined holidays through a DEI lens and how we can be more inclusive in how we discuss and display holiday imagery and how we schedule meetings around the holidays. The October DEI webinar is Thursday, Oct. 28 at 4 p.m. PT 

Watch the LWVUS “No More Excuses” Event on Facebook 

On Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 9 a.m. ET, the LWVUS will once again take action to demand that President Biden protect the freedom of millions with a “No More Excuses” action at the White House. LWVUS CEO Virginia Kase Solomón and LWVUS President Deborah Turner join female members of Congress, including Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) for a “Women Power Democracy” panel discussion. Join this event virtually live on Facebook.  

By Beth Pellicciotti, 2nd Vice President, LWV of Washington

At the LWV of Washington 2021 Convention, Ann Murphy, president of the LWV of the Spokane Area, was presented the prestigious Dorothy Roberts Award in grateful appreciation for her years of service to the League of Women Voters and to the state of Washington. The Dorothy Roberts Award is presented every two years at the LWVWA Convention to a person who shows commitment, dedication, and passion for the mission of the state League, with an emphasis on accomplishments outside the League.

When Ann’s name was announced for this award, a chorus of yeas went up among the large virtual Zoom audience. Ann served as president of the LWVWA from 2015 to 2019 (and on the Board in 1994 and 2013-2014). She is known by her fine work:

• She guided the state Board through advocacy and voter service efforts, working to improve public policy and promote democracy.

• As part of the Advocacy Team (2017-2020), she worked to create and edit member alerts in the Legislative Newsletter so League members could track bills. She coordinated the Advocacy Team in presenting Action Workshops across the state to connect League members to League Issue Chairs and upcoming legislative issues.

• Her work with the national League’s Transformation Roadmap provided the foundation for the LWVWA’s own Strategic Plan in 2017, and she led in developing subsequent goals through 2019. She was on the LWVWA Board of Directors (2011-2015), serving as treasurer (2013-2015) and as president (2015-2019).

• Her service to the Spokane League is no less impressive, having been president, VP of Action, secretary, and editor of the The Voter newsletter. Ann was a member of the LWV of Pullman from 1971 to 1975, the Othello unit-at-large from 1977 to 1979, and then a member of the LWV of the Spokane Area since 1982. That’s 45 years as a League member!

Ann had a successful career as an environmental educator and as a K-6 instructor. She continues to teach and advocate as she leads the Spokane League through the often complex redistricting process and as she advocates for greater transparency in this and other government processes.

It was a grateful state League that awarded this prestigious award to Ann Murphy, teacher, advocate, and Board leader. Members of the Spokane League are most proud of her and this well-deserved recognition.

The second Spokane League member that the state League recognized is Beverly Austin. Bev served on the LWVWA Board of Directors from 2019 to 2021, working closely with Karen Verrill on the development of the elementary edition of the state League’s civics textbook, and on forming and overseeing the state’s Civics Education Committee.

Bev was also in charge of the LWVWA 2021 Convention in June. It was a big job! Those who attended the convention know that it had many moving parts. Bev decided how all of these moving parts fit together. Whenever members were voting, they had the chance to talk about the substance of the issue in a caucus. When they attended a workshop, they knew they were going into a session that was thoughtful, current, and allowed for discussion and the sharing of ideas.

This was a convention with focused discussion and a vote on staggered terms for state Board members, on a new state League study—the first in years—and a concurrence with another state League’s study. And Bev organized all of this remotely and at a very affordable registration fee. Isn’t this a little like Ginger Rogers dancing backward in heels?

For all this planning and coordination for the convention and for the enormous lift you have given to civics education–thank you, Bev!

By Beth Pellicciotti, Research Plan Committee, LWV of Washington 

The League has passed its 100th anniversary and now we are looking to the future. We want to ensure that we sustain the momentum of those first 100 years—that we are forward-looking in our planning, laser-focused on our mission, and effective in our actions. During the LWVWA 2021 Convention, LWVWA President Lunell Haught provided an overview of a research assessment study that the state Board of Directors is leading to help us maintain this momentum.  

Now all League members will have their chance to evaluate the progress of the state League and to provide ideas for future improvement. In the next month, League members will receive an email invitation with a link to complete a survey. This is one way your state League obtains grassroots information about how we’re doing and improvements we can make. For the past few years, the state League has been working on programs to improve its impact on our members, our communities, and our state. We want your opinion about how this is going and things we should or should not change. 

The survey contains a mix of questions—some requiring only concise answers but others that are open-ended for those who have more to say. It is focused on the state League and its activities; unless stated otherwise, it is not intended to be an evaluation of local League activities.  

The Big Picture 

The Strategic Plan was adopted in January 2017 to provide a roadmap for what the state League, supported by the local Leagues, should focus on the next five years. This review, Research Plan for Assessing LWVWA Effectiveness, initiated in January 2021, is based upon input from League members as well as external communities and partners with whom we work. The first phase involved 100 interviews by trained League members to identify themes to explore with the broader membership. (See the July 16, 2021, This Month in the League to learn more about the Research Plan and these interviews.) 

The second phase is a survey of the entire League membership to elicit their opinions on League activities: the impact of state League activities in addressing its mission, the effectiveness of the state League in facilitating local League activities, and the efficiency of its organizational capability.  

In later phases, we will ask external partners and others in the community about how well we are doing. This information is essential for answering the following questions: Are we doing what matters, and what improvements do we need to make to better further our mission? This study is also important for accountability to our members and our outside supporters, as it demonstrates that we are not afraid of honest appraisals and recommendations for readjustments.  

We cannot stress enough that we are seeking all members’ opinions, regardless of how long you have been in the League or how active you have been. You joined the League for a reason, and we want to know whether your expectations are being met and whether we are living up to our stated purpose of being “the League.” 

The LWVWA Nominating Committee is hard at work. Typically, this committee’s work doesn't begin until the LWVWA Council, but since the bylaws changed at the LWVWA 2021 Convention, the slate of candidates for the LWVWA Board of Directors will be presented at the LWVWA 2022 Council. So work must begin now. For the next few months the Nominating Committee is seeking nominations and interested candidates to apply for the Board. In February, interviews will begin, and a slate will be announced to the membership no later than April 15, 2022. The slate will then be elected at the LWVWA 2022 Council. 

The Nominating Committee is currently seeking nominations for a vacant Board of Directors seat that is appointed to serve until the LWVWA 2022 Council and to be on the slate for the 2022 Council, which includes four Board of Director positions, 1st Vice President, and Treasurer.  

We want to hear from our membership! Do you know someone who would make a great LWVWA Board member? Let us know by filling out the Candidate Suggestion form.  

We are looking for individuals: 

• Dedicated to the League’s mission, “Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.” 

• Committed to the LWVWA’s strategic plan, our nonpartisan policy, our commitment to DEI, advocacy, voter services, civic education, and communications. The position serves on both the LWV of Washington Education Fund (c3) and LWV of Washington (c4) Boards. 

• With a variety of work and volunteer experiences. Those with experience with government, business, philanthropy, nonprofits, or other volunteer experiences should apply. We seek individuals who are creative and hard-working.  

If this sounds like you, or if you would like to know more, contact the Nominating Committee. If you know someone you would recommend, let us know by filling out the Candidate Suggestion form. 

By Lunell Haught, President, LWV of Washington 

I hear it takes soooo looooooooong to get anything done in the League. Sometimes that’s true—and there’s a reason—the League of Women Voters is based on democratic principles. We each have a voice, and it simply takes time to hear all the voices in a democracy. We could be an organization in which a few (a board or a staff) decide for the many, but we aren’t organized that way. Delegates attend the state meeting (convention) to decide what we want to do, how we want to use our resources, and who our leadership should be. We use Robert’s Rules of Order not to squelch people but to ensure that the lone voice can be heard and considered in decision-making. This means we really are a grassroots organization.  

We are organized this way so when the League “speaks” it is based on objective study, which informs the consensus process that goes into creating the positions we use in lobbying. This ensures we know what we are talking about and that the membership (grassroots) is behind an action. It takes time to do our own research and go through all the local Leagues to develop consensus. We do our own homework, and we pay our own way. That is part of why we are so respected.  

It sometimes takes a while to do things because the League is an all-volunteer organization. Most of us have full lives, care for others, and have jobs and obligations—the League is part, but not all, of our life.  

On the other hand, we can turn on a dime. It took us only a short time to adapt to the new environment caused by the pandemic, for example. We have staged meetings (council, convention, Action Workshops, Lobby Week, voter services, debates) involving hundreds of people who learned how to use Zoom technology within a week. With the help of one paid employee we have responded to requests, modified processes, tried new ideas, and created a statewide network of people interested and active in both new and continuing League work.  

The point is that some things do take time because we value doing our own research or adopting research studies and positions from other Leagues. We also value our credibility. We value our nonpartisanship, which is increasingly difficult. We value all the voices that make up our grassroots organization. 

If you want to try something new, please do. Very few things are written in stone. Suggesting ways to do things differently is refreshing, and it helps when initiating something new to find out what has been done before and how that worked. This is a sensitive time for many people; longtime members should feel their work is valued even when that work changes. Newer members should feel comfortable suggesting and implementing something new. The purpose is to figure out what works—for all—and to be open to ideas about how things are done. That’s the long and the short of it. 

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

The Nov. 2 election is fast approaching and the 18-day voting period begins today, Oct. 15. Now is the time to log on to VOTE411 and see what your candidates have to say about important issues that affect your community. No candidate response? Go to the candidate’s website and let them know you are looking for their answers. The League strives to ask questions that are important to our communities, not just League members, which makes VOTE411 a universal tool. Contacting unresponsive candidates is an important way to maximize VOTE411 as a voter education tool. If you can help with candidate compliance, many thanks! 

What else can you do to help GOTV? Check your local League website. You may be surprised to see how much local Leagues are doing and how many candidate forums are scheduled. Local Leagues include many communities; forums for three or four positions in three or four cities in a local League area isn’t unusual. And they are all recorded, so voters can view or listen at their leisure.  

Local Leagues are also creative in calling voters’ attention to these important sources of information. The Whidbey Island League posted one of the questions on its Facebook page so potential viewers would know what’s up. Very clever! Knowing one of the questions could be just the tipping point to get someone to take a look. Let your family and friends know about forums specific to their community. 

I hope you’ve had a chance to take a look at Your Vote, which the LWVWA published in partnership with The Spokesman-Review. A lot of questions have come up lately about election administration processes. Your Vote takes a look at those questions and helps voters understand this process. Vancouver’s The Columbian wrote two great articles about Your Vote in September, one in the Cheers & Jeers column and one in its From the Newsroom column by Editor Craig Brown. 

Check the LWVWA website to access Your Vote. Please also notice the selected Your Vote stories in Spanish and English. If there’s someone in your circle who fits into one of the story categories, you can send that story alone. Maybe you know a future voter. Click on that story and send it to them! 

We are working to get this information out across the state. The Skagit Daily Herald also printed Your Vote. And our partner, The Spokesman-Review, began this outreach process by sending Your Vote to their subscribers on Sept. 5. We are continuing outreach to other news outlets, with likely prospects at The Daily Peninsula, the Sequim Gazette, and the Daily Herald (Everett). 

Schools are another place for Your Vote. Several Leagues have had good success getting Your Vote into the hands of students: Clallam, Spokane, and Mason Counties have all reached out to schools, with good responses. 

Thurston County League members are calling schools to find out who teaches civics classes and then delivering tabloids and “Be a Voter” bookmarks to those teachers. If your League would like tips on getting Your Vote into schools, contact Beth Pelliocciotti, LWVWA Civics Education Portfolio Director. You can also reach Beth at 219-688-7263. 

You can also find the Be a Voter bookmarks on the LWVWA website, on the For Members menu along with other Be a Voter tools, including voter checklists in Spanish and English, messages highlighting the voting facts that are in Your Vote, and whimsical messages with pets. Serious and fun. Look for these on social media. Be sure to “like” when you see them. 

Thanks go to many League members for these great GOTV tools. Local League members came together to take on a coordinated outreach strategy to create tools to reach voters and, this year, emphasize how elections work. What League volunteers who do this work have in common is a commitment to democracy that focuses on getting out the vote. This can be a tough sell in the best of times. It’s needed now more than ever. Let your local voter services and civics education folks know how much you appreciate their efforts. Let your friends and family know how important it is to vote by Nov. 2! 

By Judith Davis, Former 1st VP and Director of Development, LWV of Washington 

My beloved niece Anita Lynne Gibbs transplanted herself from Atlanta, Georgia, to Olympia, Washington, in 2019, and instantly fell in love with her new state and its lovely people. She joined the LWV of Thurston County, and “Coffee With the League” every Tuesday was her entry into the life of her new community and state. She loved writing action postcards and attending Action Workshops, Lobby Day, and community meetings. She told me that “her League ladies” knew everything and they taught her so much. They called her “Junior” and were so sweet and welcoming. When the pandemic hit, she missed her Tuesday jolt of java and the League but she attended Zoom meetings and helped me with Zoom workshops for the convention and council. I just want to say thank you, from our family, to all of the wonderful League members, local and state, and Marvelous Amy Peloff, who welcomed her and helped make her last two years lovely and meaningful.