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. 

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. 

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

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.  

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.