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Tax ID: 91-1224769

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Email: info@lwvskc.org
Phone: (206) 329-4848
LWV of Seattle King County
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HomeThe Voter Newsletter

Our Newsletter

The Voter features information on our forums and other public events; our neighborhood discussion groups; volunteer opportunities; our voter registration and education efforts; and our work on issues like accountability for local government, climate change, education, health care, and police reform.


Do you have an idea? Send us your news! Contact the Voter Editor at votereditor@lwvskc.org. Submissions are due by the 15th of the month for the next edition.

View a PDF of the current issue of The Voter.

Our Mission

The League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Want to work with us? Become a member!
Want to reach us? We’re at
info@lwvskc.org!
Want to support us? Donate today!

Past Issues

View past issues of The Voter.

Happy New Year! 

Barb Tengtio


Happy New Year and welcome back! Have you resolved to make any changes this year? Keep reading to find out how you can help make our LWVSKC New Year’s Resolution successful; join us to speak up and speak out!

LWVSKC’s New Year’s Resolution
LWVSKC will speak up and speak out to empower voters and defend democracy - even stronger than before. With your help, LWVSKC believes that our world can be better coupled with a commitment to engage in collective action. Refueled and rejuvenated, LWVSKC will be out in the King County community stronger than before to:

  • Further civic and community issues education
  • Promote stronger advocacy based on our positions
  • Focus on partnerships to further our impact, especially in underserved communities

This important work kicks off in January with:
  • LWVWA Program of Work planning
  • Consensus work on:
    • Elder Caregiving in Washington State
    • Welcoming Immigrants to Washington State
    • Federal Judiciary study
  • Participation in the State Legislative session

Member involvement is essential — we must speak up and speak out to establish strong positions that we can then advocate, and take action on, the positions we have already established.

Throughout the winter and into spring we will:

  • Focus on civics and education opportunities throughout King County
  • Reach out to membership to identify and recruit new/future LWVSKC leaders
  • Further promote the One Person One Vote national campaign, as well as other LWV national initiatives

Your participation is needed — we must speak up and speak out to strengthen our organization and our democracy. 

Continuing through the late summer and early fall, Voter Services work will take precedent to include voter registration, Get Out The Vote campaign, candidate forums, civics education, and more. Plus, we will better advocated based on our positions. 

Once again, your volunteer and financial support here is critical - we must speak up and speak out to empower all King County voters.

As you are aware, the League does not endorse candidates or parties, but we have always engaged in political advocacy. As a nonpartisan organization, the League has every right to call out statements, actions, and policies that are counter to our values and principles. We are steadfast in our mission to empower voters and defend democracy.

The League is an expert in nonpartisanship with over a century of experience in pro-democracy work. Navigating through a hyper-partisan political environment in a nonpartisan manner can be confusing to some. Despite what political parties may have you believe, issues are not inherently partisan. Of course, political parties take partisan positions on issues. But that does not alter the League’s nonpartisan approach.  
Advocating for gender and racial equity is not partisan. Calling out attacks on democracy is not partisan. After all, our mission is to “defend democracy.” We cannot live up to our mission if we are unwilling to speak up and speak out. 

Support for women's equality is nonpartisan. Our belief in the rights of women is not derived from a specific candidate or party. Nobody — Democrat, Republican, or other —  has an exclusive claim on equality.  

The League has stood for the political rights and representation of women for over a century and in that time, political support and public opinion around issues like suffrage, abortion, workplace discrimination, maternal rights, and more have evolved and shifted. Yet, we have always stood firm in our values. Our concern for and commitment to women’s empowerment is grounded in our core values.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to defend democracy in ways that fuel the fight for human rights, especially women’s rights. The power of our collective action has no bounds. Won’t you join us and commit to LWVSKC’s New Year’s resolution?

Join us in this work to speak up and speak out — even stronger than before — to empower voters and defend democracy!  



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Misinformation vs Disinformation 

LWVUS

Misinformation and disinformation are two of the most insidious tools used to undermine our democracy and the value of every person’s voice. Learn how to recognize them and stop them in their tracks.


What Are Mis- and Disinformation?

Misinformation: inadvertently sharing false information without the intent to harm

Example: Your sister says that the latest local bill will raise taxes because that’s what she heard from a trusted friend.


Disinformation: intentionally sharing false information with the intent to harm

Example: Your sister lies that the latest local bill will raises taxes because she knows that’s the only way you won’t support it.


While disinformation may seem like the worse of the two, it’s frighteningly easy to spread misinformation. Remember the game “telephone” and how it shows that our messages get distorted over time? Every day, we play telephone in our face-to-face conversations, over social media, and more, with important political information.


How Can You Spot Mis- and Disinformation?
We're all susceptible to mis- and disinformation, but the following steps will help you spot it before you take part in its spread:

  • Research the source
    •  Who’s sharing this information? If it’s online, does the website sound familiar or have any political affiliations? If it’s in-person, is this individual a frequent exaggerator, or do they have a job/experience that would give them insider info?
  • Check the date
    • It’s easy to get incensed over an article on Twitter...only to realize it was published years ago and no longer applies.
  • Cross-check
    • Are reliable news sources reporting the same information? If not, it’s unlikely that your smaller source just happened to get a super-exclusive, juicy scoop.
  • Read past the headline
    • You know how tabloids post scandalous headlines and follow them with articles that are relatively mundane? Unfortunately, political outlets do that too. It’s easy to take a snippet out of context to make an article look like it will be more dramatic than it actually is. 
  • Question emotionally charged content
    • Is the person or outlet sharing this information using emotionally manipulative language to get you upset or excited? That’s a red flag. Reliable sources let the facts fuel your response, not emotional language. Check out some examples of loaded language.


How to Stop Mis- and Disinformation

Once you’ve spotted inaccurate information, follow these tips to keep it from spreading (and get it removed):

  • Don't engage
    • It may be tempting to comment on an inaccurate Facebook post about how wrong it is, or to click on it to read all of the writer’s claims, but don’t! Every like, click, share, and comment contributes to the piece’s rate of engagement, which tells whatever website you’re on that it’s good content that they should show to more people. Many outlets take advantage of this, posting headlines that they know will have you firing back a response – because good or bad, that response will promote their piece.
  • Share correct information
    • For every incorrect piece of info you see or hear, try to share one that’s correct. Instead of creating further discourse around something you don’t want people to hear, get people talking about what you do want them to hear.
  • Report when needed
    • Whenever you see disinformation online, report it to ReportDisinfo.org. You can also report most social media posts to the platforms themselves.

Interested in learning more about mis- and disinformation? Stay in touch to get updates on our Democracy Truth Project, an effort to advance public understanding of our government and reduce inaccurate information.




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Unit Updates for January 2025

Sarah Beth Miller

 

First, a warm welcome to Phillippa Kassover, who will be our new Unit Facilitator for the North King County Unit, taking over for Judy Deiro. Phillippa has extensive experience in local issues and politics and will bring abundant energy, ideas, and experience to the LWVSKC “unit-verse”!

With 2025 here, the LWVSKC Units are prepping for a busy January and February.

Program Planning and Consensus Work will be the immediate focus, two processes that are foundational to the League. Both are opportunities for us, as individuals, to voice what we deem important to our community. We highly recommend that Unit Facilitators schedule two Unit meetings for the month of January so that both program planning and consensus work can be given the attention they need and deserve.  

Program Planning
In preparation, Units can read the positions for LWVWA and LWVSKC found on our website. A great resource would be to watch the program planning video overview and read the document that has directions and the form. Then, please have a discussion in your Unit meeting about ideas and proposals. If you have an issue for a study or concurrence that you wish to move forward, please fill out the form and send it to us by February 12, 2025. You may send completed forms for either potential LWVWA level work or LWVSKC level work.
Examples of potential Program Planning Work:
  • The Queen Anne/Magnolia/Ballard Unit is proposing an educational presentation of a Senate Bill introduced by Chuck Schumer called “No King’s Act” to become a Program of Study. This relates to the League’s interest in a system of "checks and balances,” devised to “promote a dynamic balance of power between the executive and legislative branches within the framework set by the Constitution.”  (per LWV.org)
  • The South Seattle Unit is looking into a Program of Study regarding increasing instruction for Civics Education in the K-12 curriculum.
Other possible work could be: Money in politics or influence of ALEC…the possibilities are endless!

Consensus Work
Our first consensus work is coming up in January on the Elder Caregiving Study.  Please read the following and plan to attend one of the Zoom sessions. Then please read the study and review the questions.  

Elder Caregiving Study
It is time for consensus work on the Elder Caregiving Study to take place in January and February.  Sign up for one of the two informational Zoom sessions here:

Session 1
Tuesday, January 7
1:30pm

Session 2

Tuesday, January 7
6:30pm

After you've attended the Zoom session, read the Summary, Study, and Questions for discussion.

In January and February, Consensus work will occur - have a special Unit meeting just on the Elder Caregiving Study and complete the response form.

What is Consensus?
Consensus is member agreement reached after study and discussion. It is not a simple majority, nor is it necessarily unanimity; rather it is the overall sense of the group as expressed through the exchange of ideas and opinions. Consensus is not a vote or a poll. However, a show of hands may be used to determine the sense of the group.
  • Each member must feel heard and understood
  • Reached after a discussion designed to reach a group opinion
  • Conflict and tension are natural
  • Not a vote, not a simple majority, not necessarily unanimity
  • Agreement among a substantial number of members
  • Members are comfortable overall
  • Participants, even if they do not like all points of agreement, may support the results
  • Note: A second consensus process for the study, Welcoming Immigrants to Washington State will follow in February. Information about this study will be coming soon.

As always, should you have any questions and/or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your friendly Unit Liaisons, Sarah Beth Miller (206.799.2061) or Keela Williams (206.915.1460) at unitliaison@lwvskc.org.  


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Protecting Our Environment:  Strengthening Conservation District Laws

Murugeshwari Subramanaian


Conservation districts are essential for preserving our natural resources and fostering sustainable practices at the local level. These districts work closely with farmers, landowners, and local organizations to address critical environmental challenges such as soil erosion, water quality, and wildlife habitat preservation. However, as the environmental landscape changes, so must the laws that govern these districts. By modernizing these laws, we can better support their efforts and protect the environment for generations to come.


Why Conservation Districts Matter

In Washington State, each of the 39 counties is represented by at least one conservation district. These districts operate independently, tailoring solutions to the unique needs of their communities. They address important environmental issues like soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat preservation, which benefit everyone—from improving water and air quality to boosting local economies.


However, the current legal framework for these districts is outdated. It no longer supports the innovative practices required to address emerging environmental challenges. This is why updating these laws is so crucial.

Key Issues Facing Conservation Districts Today

Conservation districts are essential for environmental protection, but they face significant challenges:

  • Funding Shortages
    • Many districts struggle with limited budgets, which makes it difficult to implement critical programs for land and water protection.
  • Regulatory Barriers
    • New environmental regulations often add additional layers of bureaucracy, slowing the implementation of effective solutions.
  • Limited Scope
    • Current laws restrict districts' ability to address new environmental issues and prevent collaboration across agencies and regions, limiting their potential for broader impact.

Proposed Changes and Their Benefits

Recent proposals to modernize conservation district laws aim to tackle these challenges while providing substantial environmental and economic benefits. These updates focus on enhancing the effectiveness of conservation efforts and boosting local economies, including job creation: 

  • Job Creation
    • Conservation projects generate jobs in sectors such as environmental science, agriculture, and construction. For example, the Wildlife Innovation and Longevity Driver (WILD) Act and the Indian Buffalo Management Act help fund conservation projects that leadto long-term job creation and economic stability.
  • Boosting Economic Growth
    • Healthy ecosystems are essential for industries like agriculture,tourism, and fisheries. By improving soil health and water quality, conservation efforts can increase agricultural productivity and attract tourism, leading to sustainable economic growth for local communities.

Case Studies of Successful Conservation Efforts

Several conservation districts in Washington have already implemented successful programs that showcase the benefits of well-supported conservation efforts. Here are a few examples:

  • San Juan Islands Conservation District (SJICD)
    • The Coast Salish Guardians Program, developed in collaboration with the Northwest Indian College, blends traditional ecological knowledge with modern conservation practices. This program focuses on habitat restoration and cultural preservation, engaging the local community and making a lasting environmental impact.
  • Cascadia Conservation District
    • This district launched a Bilingual Education and Wildfire Preparedness Outreach Program to support non-English-speaking residents. The program offers gardening and nutrition courses and helps prepare communities for wildfire risks. By targeting underserved communities, it strengthens local resilience and environmental awareness.
  • Clallam Conservation District
    • The Dungeness River Levee Setback Revegetation project restored 43 acres of floodplain habitat. This initiative has improved water quality and biodiversity in the area, demonstrating the power of targeted habitat restoration to protect ecosystems.

Lessons Learned from Successful Initiatives
These case studies highlight key lessons that other conservation districts can apply:

  • Community Engagement
    • Projects that engage local communities are more likely to succeed. Building relationships and involving residents can strengthen conservation efforts.
  • Cultural Integration
    • Incorporating traditional ecological knowledge into conservation practices can enhance effectiveness and deepen community support.
  • Education and Outreach
    • Education programs that raise awareness about environmental issues can foster greater public participation and support.
  • Targeted Habitat Restoration
    • Focusing on specific environmental challenges, such as habitat restoration, can yield significant benefits for local ecosystems and biodiversity.

Stakeholder Perspectives
Several groups support the proposed changes to conservation district laws:

  • Environmental Groups
    • They strongly back the changes, believing that these reforms will protect biodiversity and improve ecosystem health.
  • Local Communities
    • They view these reforms as an opportunity for job creation and economic development, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
  • Government Officials
    • They see the proposed changes as a way to create a unified framework for conservation that promotes collaboration and secures funding for essential programs.

Opponents and Concerns
Some industry groups, particularly in agriculture and mining, are concerned that the proposed changes could limit land use and increase costs. However, supporters argue that these concerns are outweighed by the long-term environmental and economic benefits. Healthier ecosystems can reduce the need for costly environmental remediation and infrastructure repairs, ultimately saving communities money in the future.

Conclusion

The proposed updates to conservation district laws are an important step in protecting our natural resources while also supporting local economies. By improving funding, reducing regulatory barriers, and increasing collaboration, these reforms will create jobs, boost economic resilience, and ensure a more sustainable future for our communities.


We urge you to support these changes and get involved in advocating for a stronger, more effective conservation system. Together, we can ensure a cleaner, healthier environment for future generations.

Take a stand for sustainable conservation! Support the proposed changes to conservation district laws. By doing so, you’ll be helping to create a more resilient economy and a healthier planet for future generations.



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From One of Our Own

Brittany Miles


Brittany Miles, LWVSKC Vice President, here today to share an essay I penned for Newsweek. This is the story of how I learned about my daughter's serious mental health issues after a random shooting in our east side neighborhood. As a parent, I've been through an ordeal trying to seek care for my adolescent daughter, who was diagnosed with early-onset schizophrenia. LWVSKC is hoping to organize an education forum in the spring around mental health support in King County.  I would appreciate it if you take the time to read the article: https://www.newsweek.com/shooting-broke-my-daughters-fragile-world-revealed-her-hidden-battle-1992474.


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We’d Like to Hear from You!


Not sure who to reach? You can always find us at info@lwvskc.org or 206-329-4848 or check our events calendar for more information.

Want to stop by our office? We have office hours every workday except Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  We moved in December, but just within the same building. We’re located at: 


Melbourne Tower

1511 3rd Avenue, Suite 801

Seattle, WA 98101


Executive Committee of the Board of LWVSKC

Co-President

Kim Albert

president@lwvskc.org

Co-President

Barbara Tengtio

president@lwvskc.org

Vice-President

Brittany Miles

 brittm@lwvskc.org

Secretary

Marie Cooley

secretary@lwvskc.org

Co-Treasurer

Carol Levin

treasurer@lwvskc.org

Co-Treasurer

Joanna Cullen

treasurer@lwvskc.org


Directors of the Board of LWVSKC
 

Director at Large

Phillipa Kassover

 

Co-Unit Liaison

Sarah Beth Miller

unitliaison@lwvskc.org

Co-Unit Liaison

Keela Williams

unitliaison@lwvskc.org

Director at Large

Laura C Rudert

 

Voter Services Chair

Julie Sarkissian

voterservices@lwvskc.org

Director at Large

Murugeshwari Subramanaian

 


Committee Chairs for LWVSKC

Economics and Taxation

Kim Albert
Marilee Fuller

kim.a@lwvskc.org
marileefuller@yahoo.com

Education

Joanna Cullen

jfoxcullen@gmail.com

Investment

Cindy Piennett

cindypiennett@gmail.com

Observer Corps

Grace Sanderson

 observercorps@lwvskc.org


Nominating Committee for LWVSKC

Chair

Sarah Haeger

nominate@lwvskc.org

Member Chelsea Jordan

nominate@lwvskc.org

Member

Kathy Jorgensen

nominate@lwvskc.org


And if you’re looking for the editor of The Voter, reach out to votereditor@lwvskc.org!


Find us on the web at lwvskc.org!


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