The League of Women Voters: Supporting democracy for over 100 years
“We believe in the power of women to create a more perfect democracy. That's been our vision since 1920, when the League of Women Voters was founded by leaders of the women’s suffrage movement. For 100 years, we have been a nonpartisan, activist, grassroots organization that believes voters should play a critical role in democracy.” —League of Women Voters
Recently, Tumbleweird staff interviewed three members of the League of Women Voters (LWV) to find out more about this century-old organization, and how they are staying relevant and connecting to voters in 2024. At the discussion was Mary Coltrane, President of the League of Women Voters of Washington; Dee Anne Finken, Local News and Democracy and State Board; and Diane Molleson, President of the LWV of Benton and Franklin Counties.
LWV has been steadfast in its mission to educate, register, and engage voters for over a century. Many people are familiar with their voter forums; non-partisan platforms where voters can listen to candidates running for office. Coltrane said, “We have an online candidate guide called vote411.org … It has a lot of voting information in addition to candidates’ answers to questions. Those answers are unedited, so voters hear directly from the candidates.”
Finken wanted to emphasize that the LWV was founded 104 years ago, in the wake of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. The founders were very strong and passionate women who believed in educating voters and having an educated electorate.
Finken said that she sees that same passion and motivation in League members throughout the state of Washington:
When I went to the [LWV] convention last year in Pasco, I looked around the room and saw all these women, and realized that they were doing this work because they believe in the work. They weren't doing it for the money. They weren't doing it for the [political] parties or anything; none of these people were motivated by that, and that was really impressive.
The League of Women Voters also offers positions on issues facing voters. They are largely focused on promoting “social and economic justice through the lenses of health care, the environment, immigration reform, and the Census.”
LWVWA takes a stand against Initiative 2117
Recently, LWVWA took the stance to advocate for voters to vote NO on Initiative 2117, which would prohibit all state agencies, counties, and cities from implementing any type of carbon tax credit trading (repealing the Climate Commitment Act (CCA).
Editor’s note: Also read the articles about I-2117 from the Citizens Climate Lobby and Citizens Advisory Network
The LWV takes a firm stance on environmental protection:
As citizens of the world, we must protect our planet from the physical, economic, and public health effects of climate change while also providing pathways to economic prosperity.
From the position article [8] under the section of rational for LWV support:
If the CCA were repealed, as the initiative requires, Washington cannot meet its emissions goals. We will also lose a significant funding source for implementing programs to correct past environmental damage and injustice resulting from lack of scientific perspective, short-sighted or poor policy creation and implementation, and unintended consequences.
The CCA will not stop global climate change on its own, but it’s the most significant step we have to do our part. Every level of government has a role and an obligation. The world has dithered too long, waiting for someone else to make a commitment against climate change first. Now, every delay will increase the cost to the world and to Washington state in adaptation and future mitigation, and will push this expanding cost into the future. We must take a stand right here, right now.
Both the LWVUS and LWVWA Boards annually adopt a set of advocacy priorities to guide its advocacy work. The goals are stated clearly and make resources available on priority issues.
Coltrane explained that the league is a tri-level, federated structure:
We have the local level, with Benton-Franklin. We have the state League, and then we also have League of Women Voters of the United States. And the National League is comprised of over 700 state and local leagues across the country.
So, the league does advocacy work for local, state, and national issues. [10]
Putting together voter information with the vote 411 guide happens at the state level, with input from local leagues. The site offers a personalized voting guide, an easy way for voters to check their voter registration and see what’s on their ballot, and much more. Coltrane explained that for the voting guide, local leagues ask candidates questions that reflect what is happening in their own communities:
This is especially important. Certainly in local elections, but in statewide elections too. So for example, issues that you all are looking at in terms of Commissioner of Public Land might be a little bit different than what they're looking at in Bellingham or who knows where. We want to make sure that we're getting to the heart of the question and not inadvertently presenting a candidate with a gotcha question.
Local news in decline
The role of local news in democracy has long been an area of focus for the LWV. In 2021, they conducted a study into what is happening with news organizations and the decline of issue coverage. Dee Anne Finken said it was nearly four years ago when she and others began to notice what was happening with local news organizations — and their effect on voter turnout, political polarization, and community engagement. About a dozen LWV members across the state got together and asked the league to study the problem.
Finken said, “We embarked on a pretty aggressive and pretty thorough look at what was happening in the state. Newspapers were closing. By the end of our study, we were finding that we had lost more than two thirds of the journalists working — reporters and editors and artists and photographers in the state.”
The study also found out advertising in papers was declining, which was impacting revenue; and people were not subscribing at the same rates, or even reading papers as often. Many people were getting their news from other sources. “They were relying more and more on social media,” Finken said.
Finken said they looked at studies nationally that investigated the downstream effects of the decline of local news. They found major problems, including fewer candidates running for local office, reduction in voter turnout and voter participation, issues with public health campaigns, and a reduction in civic engagement. A study from Portland State University found that after the Seattle Post-Intelligencer eliminated its print edition, participation in local PTAs declined as a result.
Finken said that they have also witnessed increased political polarization. “If we don't know what's going on in our community, people tend to gravitate to following what's happening in the nation's politics. The big ‘R versus D’.”
To help combat the problem, the LWV has been supporting legislation combating the decline in local news. For example, they had the opportunity to lobby on behalf of Senate Bill 5199 in 2023, which expanded a Business & Occupations Tax exemption to publishers, reducing their payment to zero. They have also advocated on bills related to media literacy in schools.
Finken said that the News Fellowship Program through Washington State University, championed by Senators Karen Keiser and Marko Liias, made available $2.4 million to set up both training and service programs. “Sixteen new early career journalists are working in different newsrooms across the state,” says Finken. “News organizations apply for this, and they are granted somebody to work for these underserved news organizations.”
Voter education
The LWV of Benton and Franklin Counties, in partnership with Northwest Public Broadcasting (NWPB, the PBS affiliate in the Tri-Cities), hosts forums for the local candidates. Those forums air on KTNW, and are available on NWBP’s YouTube and other sites through election day. Coltrane explained that forums put on by local leagues are well received in their communities across the state, giving audiences both live and online a chance to see candidates speak directly about the issues.
The LWV of Washington (LWVWA, the State League) is hosting a series of in-person debates for state officials in various locations around the state. They are partnering with the LWV of Benton and Franklin Counties and NWPB to host the debate for the candidates for Commissioner of Public Lands in the Tri-Cities on September 25 in the East Auditorium at WSU Tri-Cities in Richland at 6pm. That debate is open to the public.
Coltrane explained, “What we do with our forums is try to get an in-person audience… and then we're also making sure it's broadcast live, so that it's out there for everybody to watch.”
The LWV is especially invested in media literacy. Beyond their work educating voters [17] with programs such as vote411.org, the LWV hosts free seminars to help the public understand the news they see and hear. For example, The Democracy Truth Project [18] aims “to counter mis-and disinformation and advance a better public understanding of democratic and electoral processes.”
Media literacy comes full circle back to the importance of local news, Finken added:
The idea of [having] regular, credible coverage, so people can see what's going on that affects their lives — you know… how their tax money is being spent, what government officials are deciding related to new legislation — is really a fundamental thing.
After the LWV of Washington adopted their position on the importance of local news in May of 2023, they presented it at the National League of Women Voters convention in Washington, D.C. The delegates overwhelmingly concurred with the Washington State position, and the national League issued the following statement in July of this year:
“The League of Women Voters believes it is the responsibility of the government to provide support for conditions under which credible local journalism can survive and thrive.
The League supports credible and ethical local journalism, in whatever format it is published, as essential to our democracy.”
A lifelong resident of Eastern Washington, Dori enjoys the outdoors, her family, and making good trouble. She has worked for many years in broadcasting and reporting and believes in the value of the 4th estate. She is a true community advocate that loves Washington.