Learn what Washington State is doing to offer seamless high quality programs for children and families so that every child enters school healthy, capable, and confident. Hear about partnerships from birth through higher ed., innovative initiatives underway, and proposed legislation.
February 19, 9:30 a.m. to noon
Eagles Nest, 1195 NW Fairgrounds Rd., Bremerton
Contact: Sharon Shrader (360 373-9608
A report released earlier this month found that American youth are frequently misinformed when it comes to civic and political issues.
What’s one easy thing that YOU can do to support civic engagement of our community’s young people? Tell the young people you know about VOTE411 and the importance of voting this Election Day!
—–> http://www.vote411.org/
VOTE411 lets folks easily register to vote, check or update their registration, learn important deadlines, access local voter guides and more. Share this to help make sure the young people you know are civically engaged & ready to hit the polls this Election Day!
National Voter Registration Day is Tuesday, Sept. 24, when organizations all across the U.S. will register new voters. The League of Women Voters/Kitsap will register new voters for three days, Sept. 24, 25 and 26, at the following locations:
Sept. 24
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Central Market – Poulsbo, 20144 10th Ave.
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Poulsbo’s Fishline Food Bank & Emergency
Services, 18916 NE Third Ave.
Sept. 25
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Olympic College – Poulsbo, 1000 Olympic College
Way NW
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Poulsbo’s Fishline Food Bank & Emergency
Services, 18916 NE Third Ave.
Sept. 26
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Olympic College – Bremerton, 1600 Chester
Ave.
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Bainbridge Island Help Line House, 282 Knechtel
Way NE
The Nov. 5 election is mail-in only, which means an address must be provided when you register so that you can receive your ballot. If you have no home address, you may use a friend’s or relative’s address or you can visit your nearest U.S. Post Office to arrange for a general delivery address you can use to receive your mailed ballot. Arrange for this general delivery address before visiting one of the registration locations.
Registration forms and address changes must be in the auditor’s office by Oct. 7. Anyone may register in person at the auditor’s office until Oct. 28.
The League of Women Voters of Kitsap will hold three informational forums in August on a possible new sales and use tax increase being considered by the Kitsap County Commissioners as allowed by the Washington State Legislature. The tax of 1/10th of 1% (one penny for every $10 spent) would fund mental health and chemical dependency treatment programs in Kitsap County.
The public is invited to attend these forums:
Bainbridge Island City Hall
280 Madison Ave N
Aug. 15, 6:30-8 pm
Silverdale Community Center
9729 Silverdale Way NW
Aug. 19, 6:30-8 pm
Kitsap County Commissioners’ Chambers
619 Division Street
Port Orchard
Aug. 28, 6:30-8 pm
BKAT will record this session for future airing
For information call 360-692-3571.
With the second special session winding down, LWVWA calls on Legislators to adopt fair, adequate and flexible state revenue policies. President Kim Abel has sent a message to each legislator:
The League of Women Voters WA requests that you act now to pass a state budget that protects funding for vulnerable residents, protects the environment and steps up to our obligations to K-12 education. The League’s highest legislative priority this year asks you to adopt state revenue policies that are balanced, fair, adequate and flexible so that critical needs are met. Please set aside unrelated policy bills and pass a budget that meets critical needs. Thank you for your work on behalf of all Washingtonians.
We don’t have a big presidential election this year, but we do
have elections. And the primary will be here soon, on Aug. 6. To
get to know your candidates, plan to attend our League candidate
forums, beginning July 11 with a contested seat on the Bremerton
City Council.
Here is the schedule of pre-primary forums:
Primary Election Candidate Forums
Bremerton City Council Seat 3
July 11
6:30 p.m.
Norm Dicks Government Center
345 6th St.
Bremerton
Candidates: Michael Strube, Adam C. Brockus, Jerald (Jerry)
McDonald
North Kitsap School Board Seat 3
July 16
6:30 p.m.
Poulsbo City Hall
200 NE Moe St., Poulsbo
Candidates: Doug Prichard, Ken Ames, Beth Worthington
Bainbridge Island City Council Seat 3
July 23
6:30 p.m.
Bainbridge Island City Hall
280 Madison Ave. N, Bainbridge Island
Candidates: Roger Townsend, Robert Bosserman, Dee McComb
Forums will be recorded and broadcast later on BKAT
For more information: 360-871-3993
Premier Media Sponsor: Kitsap Sun
Elisabeth MacNamara, president of the League of Women Voters of
the U.S., calls the Supreme Court’s decision in the case Arizona v.
ITCA Inc. “a strong decision protecting voters.”
“The decision is a strong endorsement of Congress’ power under the
Elections Clause. In this case, Arizona overstepped by imposing
restrictions on the voter registration process,” said
MacNamara.
“State restrictions lost: Voters won today,” said MacNamara.
“Arizona wrongfully rejected thousands of voter registration
applications,” said MacNamara. “The Court ruled that this was
inconsistent with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).”
“The Court’s ITCA decision safeguards the voter registration
process from political manipulation and will help block attempts in
the states to restrict the right to vote,” MacNamara said.
“In its decision, the Court also recognized the importance of
interstate voter registration drives like those conducted by the
League of Women Voters.”
Arizona v. ITCA is a critically important voting rights case that
examines whether the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)
prevents states from passing laws that restrict the voter
registration process. In this case, the League of Women Voters of
the U.S. submitted an amicus brief and the League of Women Voters
of Arizona was a named plaintiff.
“The NVRA was intended to and has succeeded in bringing millions
more citizens into the democratic process since its passage in
1993,” said MacNamara.
“Restrictions on the use of the national voter registration
application form like those tried by Arizona make it much more
difficult to register eligible citizens to vote,” MacNamara said.
“Independent registration drives by citizen groups like the League
are often the only effective means for some voters to get
registered and participate in our great democracy.”
“The Court’s ITCA decision safeguards the voter registration
process from political manipulation and will help block attempts in
the states to restrict the right to vote,” MacNamara said.
“This is a victory for voters plain and simple but we will need to
continue to fight against limitations on the voter registration
process.” concluded MacNamara. “This is an extremely important
ruling that says the U.S. Congress has the power and authority to
protect our right to vote.”
State League
Co-President Kim Abel, left, presented Catherine Ahl with the
Kitsap Bar Association’s Liberty Bell Award at the annual Law Day
Ceremony in Port Orchard on Friday. The award goes to a non-lawyer
who has promoted legal education and awareness in the community.
Catherine was recognized for her tireless advocacy of the state’s
“paramount duty” to provide ample funding for education for all its
children as well as for playing a key role in passing a law to
require that all high school students receive instruction in
civics. The law will go into effect in 2016. Catherine is a past
president of the Kitsap League, a former North Kitsap School Board
member and a member of the state League’s lobby team specializing
in education issues.
Mark your calendar and plan to attend our April 9 public meeting
on health care reform in Washington state. It’s free and open to
all from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Norm Dicks Center on 6th Street in
downtown Bremerton.
Bring your questions for presenters MaryAnne Lindeblad, Medicaid
Director for the Washington State Health Care Authority, and
Michael Marchand, Director of Communications for the Washington
Health Benefit Exchange.
Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Kitsap, the Kitsap
Public Health District and the Kitsap Sun. This event will be
recorded for later broadcast by BKAT.
For information call (360) 692-3571.
The League of Women Voters of Washington welcomed the State Supreme Court’s decision that an initiative requiring a two-thirds vote to raise taxes was in conflict with the state Constitution, thereby giving the Legislature the authority to pass laws by simple majority. The LWVWA filed an amicus brief which argued that the rule was inconsistent with the history and text of the Constitution—reasoning that the Court ultimately adopted!
“This is a big win for schools, for infrastructure, and especially for democracy,” said Kim Abel, Co-President of the League of Women Voters of Washington.
“The brief filed by LWVWA clearly played a key role in the majority opinion that struck down the two-thirds rule,” said attorney David Perez, who authored the LWVWA’s amicus brief pro bono. “The ruling was largely based on an understanding of the meaning of the phrase, ‘unless a majority.’ We argued that the Framers of our Constitution meant a ‘simple majority.’ And the Court agreed.”
“Voters want good schools, safe bridges and roads, clean air to breathe and clean water to drink along with trustworthy elections and safe communities—all the work of our elected officials,” says Abel.
Many are skeptical that even with the simple majority requirement the current legislature will be willing to identify additional revenue. Ms. Abel disagrees. “We believe that this decision will allow the legislature to do the job they were elected for and manage the budget in a way that meets the most basic needs of the state.”
Linnea Hirst, LWVWA Co-President, concurs: “This court ruling will help our legislators fulfill their responsibilities in accordance with the Constitution, as emphasized by the recent McCleary decision requiring full funding of public education.”
The League of Women Voters is a respected nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
