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HomeThe Voter Newsletter

APRIL 2026


This Month's Features

To Protect Democracy, We Must Protect Voting Access for Women

Thank You LWVSKC Volunteers!

The Power of Coalitions

The Tulalip Tribes Have King County Heritage

Tabling Can Bring Unexpected Outcomes

We Need More Citizens Voting - Not Less

Review of the 2026 Legislative Session in Olympia

Rise to Leadership with LWVSKC

 








 

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.

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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.

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Past Issues

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To Protect Democracy, We Must Protect Voting Access for Women

Celina Stewart, CEO and Attorney for the League of Women Voters - National

Since the founding of the United States of America, women’s central role in safeguarding democracy has been overlooked—even as women have consistently, generation after generation, worked to protect it.

Even before women had the right to vote, they organized national suffrage campaigns, raised funds for reform movements through organized philanthropy, and built civic institutions like women's clubs, which shaped public life long after election cycles. Despite being chronically underrepresented in local and federal government, American women have voted at higher rates than men in presidential elections for decades. 

Now, women’s voting rights are at risk. And I would argue that they are at risk because of our participation in democracy.

Across the country, federal legislation such as the SAVE America Act and a wave of state-level restrictive voting laws seek to impose new documentation requirements and bureaucratic hurdles which threaten to disproportionately affect women—especially the nearly 70 million married women whose names may not match their birth certificates, women of color who already face systemic barriers, and working mothers balancing their careers, caregiving responsibilities, and civic participation.

Research from the Brennan Center and the U.S. Government Accountability Office shows that overly burdensome photo ID requirements can block eligible citizens from voting. A lack of the required ID is particularly common among minorities, low-income voters, young people, seniors, and those facing economic barriers to obtaining documents. For this reason, while voting document measures are often framed as efforts to ensure “election integrity,” they are likely to narrow participation in practice. Research consistently shows that U.S. elections are already very secure, with bipartisan safeguards, paper ballot backups, and post-election audits that consistently confirm the integrity of our system. Efforts that add unnecessary barriers risk undermining voter confidence rather than strengthening it. 

Since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, efforts to undermine ballot access have evolved rather than disappeared—from polling place closures and voter roll purges to restrictive photo ID laws and reductions in early voting. Current proposals reflect this history.

Redistricting, mail-in voting, reducing early voting hours, or requiring additional documentation to register may sound technical and, on its face, maybe even fair ways to ensure credible elections. But dig deeper, and you see that these policies can fall hardest on those with the least flexibility—women working hourly jobs, caring for children or aging parents, or living far from government offices. For married women who have changed their names, new proof-of-citizenship requirements could create additional barriers. When policymakers make it harder to vote, they choose whose voices matter. Democracy that functions conveniently only for the unencumbered is not a true democracy. 
 
To be sure, restricting voting access can negatively impact voters of all political persuasions. We must protect voting access and our democracy on behalf of all Americans. 

But we can also recognize that women’s civic engagement has long unsettled powerful men. From the suffrage movement and the civil rights era to today’s debates over voting access, expanding democracy has required women to confront entrenched power. And we are not retreating. 

Across the country, women are building bipartisan coalitions and filing litigation to challenge unlawful barriers. We are serving as poll workers and election observers to ensure elections run smoothly. We are organizing locally and nationally to defend democratic norms. 

History shows that efforts to suppress participation often spark greater civic engagement. In 1965, when peaceful voting rights marchers were violently attacked on the Edmund Pettus Bridge on what became known as Bloody Sunday, the nation responded with outrage that helped propel the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and dramatically expanded voter registration across the South. More than 50 years later, millions of women and their allies again took to the streets in 2017 for the Women's March, one of the largest demonstrations in American history. When Americans believe their rights, or their democracy, are under threat, participation does not shrink. It grows.

When women participate in political life—as voters, candidates, and decision-makers—institutions become more representative and responsive. Public trust grows. Policy debates expand to reflect the realities of families and communities. Democracy is stronger when it reflects the full breadth of lived experience.

The future of American democracy depends not on restricting participation but on expanding it—on welcoming more voices, not fewer. Women, particularly women of color, have always been central to that work, even when the spotlight failed to acknowledge them.

Those who underestimate women’s civic power will discover, as history has shown time and time again, democracy’s most resilient defenders are often the ones who have had to fight hardest to claim their place within it.  


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Thank You LWVSKC Volunteers! 

Barb Tengtio


April is National Volunteer Month, dedicated to honoring individuals who share their time and talents to support communities. It is a time to recognize the impact of volunteerism and encourage civic action.

 

The LWVSKC:

  

  • Recognizes and Thanks the many LWVSKC members who dedicate their time and talents towards the operation of LWVSKC and the outreach the LWVSKC conducts throughout King County.
  • Thanks Board members: Barb Tengtio, Janet Lenart, Laura Rudert, Marie Cooley, Phillippa Kassover, Carol Levin, Sally Walcott, Keela Williams, Sarah Beth Miller, Evelyn Strawn, Cindy Krebs, Julie Sarkissian, Connie Foster, and Maris Olsen.
  • Thanks Voter Editor, Sara Mulnix; Website Administrator, Michael Ireton; Social Media support, Heidi Mair; LWVSKC Weekly email producers Allison Feher and Barb Tengtio; and Because of You! report producers since 2022, Mike Gamble and Barb Tengtio.
  • Thanks committee chairs, Economics and Taxation, Marilee Fuller; Finance, Kim Albert; Investment, Cindy Piennett; Unite and Rise, Keela Williams; Voter Services, Julie Sarkissian; Youth Civics, Sarah Beth Miller and Barb Tengtio.
  • Thanks unit facilitators, Connie Foster, Sandy Bergin, Madeleine Betz, Phillippa Kassover, Meg Van Wyk, Cathy Dormaier, Keela Williams, Callie Ridolfi, Janet Lenart, Emilie Hard, Deb Carstens, Joan Tupper and Susan Samuelson.  

 

And the LWVSKC thanks the many members who participate in unit meetings and activities and committee meetings and actions, as well as the many members who volunteer for voter registration, get out the vote work, civic education, candidate/educational forums, elections observing and advocacy work, and the many members who provide financial support to the LWVSKC.

 

In addition to all that these LWVSKC volunteers accomplish, they hopefully inspire action in others. The LWVSKC looks to all it’s 600+ membership to unite and rise to support the LWVSKC’s work to empower voters and defend democracy.  What can you contribute?  Think about a possible LWVSKC Board position, or participating in a committee or becoming more active in a unit.  The LWVSKC is a grass roots organization — you, our members, are the reason for any and all of our work. It is our collective belief in our mission to empower voters and defend democracy and our personal time, talent, and financial contributions towards this work that lifts up the King county community.

 

The LWVSKC is extremely grateful to all our volunteers and encourages others to step up — especially at this very critical time — to add to the work already being done.

 

Since 1974, National Volunteer Week has been an opportunity to recognize the impact of volunteer service and the power of volunteers to tackle society’s greatest challenges, to build stronger communities, and be a force that transforms the world. We hope all our members feel the warmth of our appreciation for their volunteer time and recognize the value of their contributions to the King County community. Thank you!

 

 

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The Power of Coalitions 

Chelsey Cartwright, LWVUS
Coalitions hold the power to propel our democracy forward. In this time of chaos for our democracy, it’s imperative to focus on what brings us together instead of what divides us. Though these times feel destructive to the well-being of our democracy, there are ways to fight alongside one another for a shared sense of a better future.  

Coming together across lines of race, ethnicity, gender identity, and political ideology brings us closer to consensus. Building these bridges means confronting fears and addressing unconscious biases. In doing so, we reflect on how our differences make us unique and how our diversity makes us strong.

Bridge building also equips us to address the multifaceted crisis that we face in our democracy. A poll from The New York Times and Sienna found that 13% of registered voters in the U.S. say that polarization is the most important problem facing the country today. Strong coalitions can break down those barriers and allow for deeper and more meaningful connection and action.

Why Coalitions Matter
Coalitions allow for strategic thought partnership, creativity, and power in numbers. Every member of a coalition has a shared vision and collective message. At the same time, each member speaks to a unique life experience and identity. With the power of a coalition, people and organizations can reach new horizons to engage a broader audience that reflects the diversity of the coalition itself.

Bridges are durable and not transactional; they span cultures and ethnic and identity groups and provide a thorough connective tissue. They are not convenient or conventional, but they are sustainable and long-lasting. These bridges are built across differing communities, movements, organizations, and ideologies.

It is by this bridging that we build political power and stay aligned on the issues. We face the powers that be and reimagine what it takes to actualize our values and make a lasting impact. The broad vision of “we” includes a vast spectrum of impacted voices to grow a multiracial democracy full of people from all backgrounds. This looks like access to the ballot for all, uplifting the needs of every community, and building a lasting base for change.

Although there are many shared perspectives on the issues, there may not be alignment on strategies or the tools needed to address the issues. That is where bridges come in to connect the dots. From the various viewpoints, coalition members can learn from others and identify what is the most effective way towards change-making.

Coalitions are also a useful tool to advocate for issues, hold those in power accountable, and demonstrate how to create people-powered action. Multiple voices speaking together will always be more powerful than one voice speaking alone.  Many hands make for light work, empowering people and organizations to do more than they could on their own.

When like-minded people come together, they create more resilient organizations and communities; then, those communities come together and create a more resilient and multifaceted democracy.

The Keys of Successful Coalitions
The keys to building a successful coalition are trust, honesty, synergy, and clear communication. Trust is a must when cultivating partners of different backgrounds that might not be normally aligned.

Building honesty and vulnerability through different missions, agendas, perspectives, and tactics establishes alliances across lines of difference. Working through them creates a shared sense of struggle and democratic identity. Synergy looks like organizations, large and small, on a local, statewide, or national level, blending to move the dial forward. Getting clear on communication and setting an agenda that works for all promotes connectivity authentically.

With extraordinary divides in our society, building relationships mends chasms among us. Coalitions fight toxic polarization and center a sense of harmony, creating more good in our world. Coalitions emerge from partnerships, and partnerships are sustained by mutual goals and the resilience needed to achieve them.

The shared responsibility among us as citizens reinforces our collective capacity to effect change. Creating community-based networks sparks a shared sense of empathy and a stake in one another’s well-being.

Inclusivity and Relationship Building are Essential
Inclusion and belonging are at the core of coalition-building. When communities come together, there is a larger base of support and collective infrastructure toward action. Including more voices draws in more people, and it takes time, intentionality, and care to spark action.

Relationship building is also critical. In forging strong relationships, people come out of their comfort zone but stretch upward to connect with others that they might not otherwise reach. Being inclusive means listening without judgment and remaining present. To choose inclusiveness means that every person is seen and heard. There is a shared sense of commitment and mutual support.

Mutual Aid Strengthens the Bonds of Coalitions
Mutual aid is the concept of a voluntary system where community members provide physical, emotional, and financial support to one another. It can start with being a good neighbor. How can you address how to make your neighborhood a better place, and what can you do to get to know your neighbors? A shared sense of connectivity helps communities flourish.

In this moment, there is an urgent need for mutual aid. There is no more time to wait, and the way that we care for and show up for one another starts now. The waves of momentum that we can make on a one-to-one level create a tidal wave of change that flows to all corners of our democracy – in this way, the work we do at home can improve our entire country.

Caring for your neighbor as you care for yourself is an act of service that helps communities thrive. When folks get together to pack hygiene kits for unhoused people, serve meals at a soup kitchen, or donate books to a little free library, they make daily life better. Networks of support in communities vary, but one common goal remains: to keep people connected and engaged with one another. Sharing resources and acting together in these ways creates community and centers coalitions.

A Way Forward
Strong coalitions are a way to ensure that our democracy is preserved and powered by the will of the people. They build a nourishing future of trust, collaboration, and progress. Living side by side and supporting each other as friends, neighbors, and members of communities lights the way.

Greater than the sum of our parts and working shoulder to shoulder, we craft networks of support. When we connect our values to the core vision of where we want to go, we build the world in which we want to see. It is all of our responsibility to create a world where we all belong. It’s not left to what we can offer as individuals, but in the community and the purpose of the coalition. This shared sense of purpose weaves together a more holistic democracy.

Coalitions encourage everyone to be part of a way forward. Human connection and getting to know one another make a difference in how we show up in the world and for the issues we believe in.

Put Your Coalition to Action
At the League, our 800 state and local Leagues are all part of countless coalitions. Get involved by joining your league or committing to Unite and Rise to defend democracy. Through collective action, there is a lasting impact! It is through our coalitions that we find our strength. Take the commitment to defend our constitution, protect the rule of law, and build a democracy where every person and every voice counts! 

 

 


The Tulalip Tribes Have King County Heritage

Callie Ridolfi

LWVSKC members visited the Hibulb Cultural Center at Tulalip on March 18 to support the current LWV WA State Tribal Study. Our SKC virtual unit is working on supporting the study, which meets on the third Tuesday of the month by Zoom. Our next meeting is April 21 at 6:30pm; LWVSKC members interested in participating going forward should check the event calendar or contact callie@ridolfi.com.  

The Tulalip Tribe is a federally recognized tribe of Duwamish, Snohomish, Snoqulamie, Skagit, Suiatte, Samish, and Stillaguamish people, which makes them part of the South and Central Coast Salish peoples.

 

lwvskc-tulalip.jpeg

The reservation lies on Port Susan in western Snohomish County with a land area of 34.7 square miles. The largest community is Tulalip Bay, whose aboriginal territory includes parts of King County.

The tribes speak English and Lushootseed, which is written in Latin script and has a published dictionary. A language department  was established in the 1990s to preserve and promote the use of Lushootseed. An interesting tidbit: Marysville’s Pilchuck High School began offering Lushootseed classes in 2019.


The tribe is governed by a seven-member, democratically elected Board of Directors, whose members fill designated roles as officers, and are elected to serve three-year terms. The Tulalip Tribes government provides a number of services to its tribal and community members, such as health care, housing, education, public works, court system, police department, and many other services.


Besides the original casino (renamed Quil Ceda Creek Casino), the tribe has many economic ventures, including Tulalip Bingo, Quil Ceda Deli, Canoes Carvery, Cedars Cafe, Eagles Buffet, Tulalip Resort Casino, Tulalip Bay Restaurant, Journeys East, The Draft Sports Bar & Grill, Quil Ceda Creek Nightclub and Casino, Torch Grill, and Q Burgers. The Tribe uses the revenue to diversify; this has been accomplished with an outlet mall and two gas stations. 


Source: Wikipedia.org


A full-service law enforcement agency is dedicated to serving the Tulalip Reservation and surrounding community with professionalism, integrity, and respect.


Our tribal population is over 5,000 and growing, with 2,700 members residing on the 22,000 acres of Tulalip Indian Reservation. The Reservation is rich with natural resources: marine waters, tidelands, freshwater creeks and lakes, wetlands, forests, and developable land.

Today, 92% of government services, tribal member entitlements, family and senior housing, education, health, and dental services, law enforcement, fire protection, infrastructure improvements, and economic growth are funded from within. 


Of the over 3,500 employees working for the Tribe, more than two-thirds are working in business enterprises such as Tulalip Resort Casino, Quil Ceda Creek Casino, Tulalip Bingo, Leasing, Tulalip Broadband, Salish Networks, Tulalip Data Services, Tulalip Liquor & Smoke Shop, and Quil Ceda Village.


Source: Tulalip Tribes website


The Hibulb Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve mission is to revive, restore, protect, interpret, collect, and enhance the history, traditional cultural values, and spiritual beliefs of the Tulalip Tribes.


The Hibulb Cultural Center is approximately 23,000 square feet with a 50-acre natural history preserve. The interactive cultural center features a main exhibit, a temporary exhibit, two classrooms, a longhouse, a research library, and gift shop. It also features a fully certified collections and archaeological repository. It was the first Tribal facility certified by the state of Washington.


The Tulalip History Project is a video production unit within the Hibulb Cultural Center that curates a variety of short films relaying important figures, events, and times of our people. The videos also provide an inside look at old photos and videos of our past that have been carefully collected throughout time by the Hibulb’s library.

Source: hibulbculturalcenter.org


Quil Ceda Village is a Consolidated Borough, established in 2001 by the Tulalip Tribes, and located on the Tulalip Indian Reservation. The local government of the Consolidated Borough of Quil Ceda Village and the very successful Quil Ceda Village business park are key to building and sustaining the Tulalip culture and regional economy.


The Consolidated Borough of Quil Ceda Village has become a hub of shopping, entertainment, and food in northern Snohomish County, and  is an exceptional place for entertainment. The Seattle Premium Outlets is a destination all on its own with over 110 shopping choices, and there's also a local amphitheater.


Nearly three quarters of the $400 million in annual revenues generated in the Quil Ceda Village economic development zone directly supports the surrounding community, external businesses, charity, and federal, state, and county governments. As part of this support, Quil Ceda Village businesses have stimulated the regional economy by adding more than 5,500 jobs, generating wages that are spent throughout the community.


Source quilcedavillage.com


Qwuloolt Estuaryis located within the Snohomish River floodplain, approximately three miles upstream from its outlet to Puget Sound and within Marysville city limits.


Historically, the area was tidal marsh and forest scrub-shrub habitat, interlaced by tidal channels, mudflats, and streams. Prior to the levee breach on August 28, 2015, for over a hundred years the project area had been cut off from the natural influences of the Snohomish River and Salish Sea tides by levees, drained by ditches instead of stream channels, and characterized by a monoculture of invasive reed canary grass instead of native shrubs and grasses. Through the cooperation of its many partners, this project has returned the historic and natural influences of the river and tides to the Qwuloolt.


Through a collaboration of staff and resources from the NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center and the Tulalip Tribes, a webcam was installed across from the center of the levee breach on Ebey Slough during the week prior to the breach that occurred in 2015. The webcam has already provided valuable quantitative and qualitative scientific data for analyses of patterns before, during, and after estuarine restoration, and has proved as important in public education and outreach. We look forward to the evolution of Qwuloolt as it progresses towards further restoration, and the understanding gained through the continued operation of this webcam. We anticipate the installation of other webcams along the perimeter of the site, which will be dependent on future resources. We encourage you to explore the Qwuloolt site of tidal reconnection through this dynamic resource and gain your own understanding of the project.


Source: qwuloolt.org

 

Recommended further reading:

Tulalip Tribes Visitor Guide

Tulalip Visitors Guide

Tulalip News

 

Summary compilation by Marilyn Wilt, 02/12/2026

Photograph of Hibulb Cultural Center by Callie Ridolfi 



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Tabling Can Bring Unexpected Outcomes

Phillippa Kassover

At the highly successful Activists Assembly in Shoreline this past January, which drew more than 1,500 attendees and 60 participating organizations including the LWVSKC North King County Unit, we noticed our pocket Constitutions were very popular. We heard comments from those who stopped by that it had truly decades since they read it in school, and they wanted to remind themselves of the document that forms the bedrock of our society and legal system – especially now. We quickly ran out of all our copies.

This sparked a conversation among those of us at the LWVSKC table, including league member Jenny Muilenberg and her husband Matt, a city council member in Lake Forest Park. Jenny is a librarian at UW and has participated in their public reading of the Constitution and Matt has led other public readings as a corporate leader. 

We decided this was a good time for our LWVSKC North King County unit to sponsor our own public reading and include as many community members as we could recruit!

We have reserved the stage at Third Place Commons in the Lake Forest Park Town Center on Sunday, May 3 from 3-5pm and have already secured a number of readers including Lake Forest Park Mayor Tom French and other local elected officials. We are reaching out to local schools, scout troops, the Rotary Club, and all our communities in North King County.

If you would like to be a reader, please click here to sign up.

Everyone is welcome to join; we hope to see you there! 



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We Need More Citizens Voting - Not Less

Barb Tengtio


LWVSKC President, Barb Tengtio has had the opportunity to speak out against the SAVE America Act, as well as other similar voter suppression acts this past month, including at Senator Cantwell's press conference and at the International Women's Day event at Cal Anderson Park. 

Click here to read her recently published Letter To The Editor of The Seattle Times, and let's all keep pushing back against the SAVE America act and all attacks on our democracy.

To view the link in full: 


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Review of the 2026 Legislative Session in Olympia

LWVSKC


Each year a group, of League members, the LWVWA Lobby Team, spends time developing, tracking, monitoring, and lobbying for (and against) proposed legislation. Topics range from voting to health care to taxes and more. This work uses our longstanding positions, which you can read here.  

Want to see what happened this year? 48 of the bills we actively supported passed! More information and further links are available on Washington's League website. 


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Rise to Leadership with LWVSKC!

LWVSKC


You are needed! We are still looking for volunteers to help the LWVSKC plan community outreach, advocacy, and so much more. 

View all of our volunteer opportunities here.  


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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

President

Barbara Tengtio

president@lwvskc.org

Vice-President

Janet Lenart

 vp@lwvskc.org

Secretary

Laura Rudert

secretary@lwvskc.org

Co-Treasurer

Carol Levin

treasurer@lwvskc.org

Co-Treasurer

Sally Walcott

 eftreasurer@lwvskc.org

Directors of the Board of LWVSKC
 

Co-Unit Liaison

Sarah Beth Miller

unitliaison@lwvskc.org

Co-Unit Liaison

Keela Williams

unitliaison@lwvskc.org

Voter Services Co-Chair

Julie Sarkissian

 voterservices@lwvskc.org

Voter Services Co-Chair

Connie Foster

 voterservices@lwvskc.org

Voter Services Co-Chair

Maris Olsen

 voterservices@lwvskc.org

Program Co-Chair

Cindy Krebs

 program@lwvskc.org
Program Co-Chair Evelyn Strawn program@lwvskc.org
Development Chair Phillippa Kassover  development@lwvskc.org
Membership Chair Marie Cooley membership@lwvskc.org


Committee Chairs for LWVSKC

Economics and Taxation

Marilee Fuller

 marileefuller@yahoo.com

Education

Joanna Cullen

jfoxcullen@gmail.com

Investment

Cindy Piennett

cindypiennett@gmail.com
Finance Kim Albert kim.a@lwvskc.org
Youth Civic Engagement Sarah Beth Miller
Barb Tengtio		 sarahbethmiller410@gmail.com
president@lwvskc.org
Unite & Rise Action Keela Williams keela.w@lwvskc.org


Nominating Committee for LWVSKC

Chair

 Open

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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