The Voter is published monthly from September through June, with one additional Summer issue in July/August. | Today, August 1, is Primary election day.
Be sure to get your ballot to a drop box before 8:00 pm if you haven't already voted. Pierce County drop box locations are listed here. | | |
- Speaking of Elections...2023-24 Election Observers
- GOTV: Get Out the Vote
- President's Message
- Help Our Unhoused Neighbors Throughout the Summer
- Going, Going, Gone: Dwindling Affordable Housing in Pierce County
- Save the Date - Comprehensive Planning Workshop
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- For More Information on Comprehensive Planning...
- Welcome, New Members!
- Thank You, Generous Donors!
- Observer Corps Volunteers Needed
- Read These Recent Observer Corps Reports
- I-5 Mounts Road to Steilacoom-DuPont Road Corridor Improvements Coming
- Sign up for the LWVTPC Instagram Page
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Speaking of Elections ... 2023-24 Election Observers
By Ann Williams
The Tacoma-Pierce League has organized the Non-Partisan (also called Independent) election observers for several years. We work alongside observers representing the Democratic and Republican parties. | | | Being an observer requires attending an annual training session at the Election Center, which took place on July 17. Observers can be non-League members, although most, but not all the current 24 volunteers for the independent group are League members. We have been at work since July 24, as much ballot processing happens before election day.
There are two opportunities to observe some of the election process for those that did not attend the July training. Both the post-election audit (August 3 at 10:00 am) and election certification (August 15 at 10:00 am) are open to the public. The post-election audit is a hand count of a small sample of ballots to be sure there is an exact match with the machine counted results.
Some years a second observer training is offered before the November election, although one has not yet been announced for this year.
For any questions, contact Ann Williams, Election Observer Lead, at willar12000@yahoo.com or by phone at 253-617-9074. | GOTV: Get Out The Vote
By Rosemary Powers
For the general election of 2022, there were 552,260 registered voters in Pierce County and 330,452 ballots cast (or 60.49% of the total). While the ballots are still coming in for the 2023 Primary election, the numbers are pretty small so far (see chart below). Of course many will turn in a ballot at the last minute and many others will forget, or don’t plan to vote at all.
So here is a chance to help keep the importance of voting on the minds of eligible voters. You are invited to a strategy session on Monday, August 21 from 5:00-6:00 pm at the League office, 621 Tacoma Ave. S., Ste 202. Think about activities that might encourage Pierce County voters for the upcoming General election of November 7, 2023.
If you are new to League, or a longer-term member, get some ideas to promoe voting by exploring what other Leagues have been doing. Try an Internet search using the key words "League of Women Voters GOTV". Feel free to Invite friends or family members who might be interested in joining the effort.
If you’d like to be involved, but are not available for this meeting, send an email to Rosemary Powers at lwvtacomapierce@gmail.com and include your contact information. | President's Message
Rosemary Powers
My first time voting in a national election, I was 23, away at college, and voting absentee. I had to spread out my ballot on the floor. The ballot was a copy of an actual voting booth covered in pretend levers marking where I would check my preferences. I looked but couldn’t find a picture of this 1968 Nixon vs Humphrey ballot to confirm my memory, but I know it was huge and required a big envelope to return. I was in awe.
I am still in awe of the power and the promise of the right to vote. And today, I am feeling a new kind of awe as I begin my time serving as President of our Tacoma Pierce County League of Women Voters. I don’t plan to tattoo the words “empower voters and defend democracy” on my body, but I promise to work with all of you to make those goals a stronger reality.
| | | As I reflect on the extraordinary challenges we face as a global community—and in our local community—I can feel exhausted at the enormity of the work ahead . We learn that water off the Florida coast reached hot-tub temperatures of 100 degrees last week, that wildfires in Canada continue their record destruction, and that surface temperatures in parts of Spain this month reached 140 degrees F. Worldwide threats to democracy and deep polarization here in the US remind us every day of how hard it is to sustain a commitment to addressing problems through ballots rather than violence and autocratic control. Here in Tacoma-Pierce County we have not made a real commitment to create adequate housing options for our most vulnerable unhoused neighbors.
The intersections are everywhere, as each problem demonstrates, and it is often difficult to see “voting” as a radical act. But we know what happens when the right to vote is denied or suppressed or when we don’t think it matters. As we participate in the August primary election and prepare for the general in November, we remember all those who went before us, doing the radical work even while exhausted. I am honored to share the work with you.
To make the point the way a poet would, I end this message with an excerpt from Nikki Giovanni’s poem “Vote”. | . . . I am a citizen
I must be able to vote
Folks were lynched
Folks were shot
Folks’ communities were gerrymandered
Folks who believed
In the Constitution were lied to
Burned out
Bought and sold | Because they agreed
All Men and Women Were Created Equal
Folks vote to make us free . . .
Good for the Folks
Good for Us
My country ’tis of thee
from Make me rain, 2020, William Morrow
| | | Help Our Unhoused Neighbors Throughout the Summer
This is an excerpt from a regular email post by Richard Dorsett. It is particularly important that we support the Coalition to End Homelessness in providing water for people without housing. The summer heat can be brutal. And it was announced at a recent Coalition meeting that 90 of our unhoused neighbors have died in the last four months. That was before the summer heat started.
“People often ask how they can help. I generally point them and their donations towards St Vincent de Paul’s new outreach center or Brotherhood Rise. There are others who do good work and offer services, but these two set the bar high for the compassion and services they provide. And just two weeks ago, we began Tacoma Street Books, a mobile library serving people who live outside. Colleague Tim makes fresh bagels on Wednesdays and serves bagel sandwiches. Bagels and Books we have begun calling our operation. The point is that ending homelessness is difficult and complicated, but helping people in need does not have to be. It is something we all can do.”
You can reach Richard at dorsett.richard@gmail.com to drop off books. These organizations and others provide cold water during the very hot days. For more information about hot weather and water support for unhoused people, see this page. Please make a financial donation if you can't volunteer to help distribute.
| Going, Going, Gone
Dwindling Affordable Housing in Pierce County
By Theresa Power-Drutis |  | Tacoma's Golden Goose "Hive Home Project" is closing its doors, so we will lose yet another housing option for very low income people in Pierce County. Let your county and city elected officials know that we need housing for residents living at and below 30% Area Median Income (AMI)*. This goal is part of the Pierce County Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness; but what concrete steps are being taken to increase housing for very low income residents? Ask your representatives:
- What are you doing to support and retain the few very low income housing options that remain?
- What plans do you have for increasing housing for very low income people throughout the County?
- How much progress are we making on this?
*Area Median Income (AMI) is the midpoint of a specific area’s income distribution and is calculated on an annual basis by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. AMI in Pierce county for one person is $68, 220 or $5,685 per month. This means that 30% AMI for our county is $20,466 or $1.705 per month. | Save the Date - Comprehensive Planning Workshop | | | On September 16, 9:00 am to noon, LWVTPC will host a workshop at Friendship Hall, First United Methodist Church, 621 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacomal, for League members and the public about comprehensive planning and how to share your vision for the future of your community.
Comprehensive planning is especially critical in this update because it will change how communities are organized over the next 10-20 years. Strategies to address both housing needs and climate change will be required in the 2024 updates, and the next update won't be for 10 more years. Watch for more details in the September Voter. | For More Information on Comprehensive Planning...
For more about the importance of getting engaged with comprehensive planning, see a recording of Cynthia Stewart's presentation to the Affordable Housing Consortium(AHC) Lunch & Learn here. See other AHC Lunch & Learn opportunities related to comprehensive planning here.
Integrating ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation (the single largest contributor in this area) with increased housing will require additional transit service. See a recording of the Transportation Choices Coalition's Transit Talk session on How Riders Can Shape Transportation here. | Welcome, New Members!
Christine Cooper Lisa Olson Barbara Robertson Bailey Wambold | Thank You, Generous Donors! | Terry Baker
Patricia Berger
Terry Bergeson
Holly Billiu
Kit Burns
Carol Colleran
Carolyn Edmonds
Susan Eidenschink |
Bobbie Fletcher
Jean Gillmer
Ruth Ann Hatchett
Bev Isenson
Stella Jones
Marceline Lazzari
Dorris Martin
Pat Olney
Carol Rikerd |
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Larry Seaquist
Anita Staeheli
Cynthia Stewart
Lois Vankat
Shan Vipond
Marty Webb
Ann Williams
Barbara Williams
Lucinda Wingard |
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Observer Corps Volunteers Needed
By Lydia Zepeda
Do you want to find out what is going on in your local city or county government? Do you want to let others know? Do you want to use your writing skills? If so, join the LWVTPC Observer Corps! We need volunteers to report on their activities. This is how we ensure an informed community. This is how we hold our elected officials accountable.
Being an Observer involves attending at least one public meeting a month and writing up a meeting summary. Plan on a minimum of 3-4 hours a month. We especially need observers for the City of Lakewood and school districts, such as the Clover Park School District and the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District.
As an Observer you choose what meetings and issues to follow. You can attend in person or watch remotely. While you cannot participate in the government meetings, but you can inform others what issues are being discussed, what laws and policies are being implemented, and how your local government is spending taxpayer money. It is a great way to learn about local government to prepare yourself and others to be better advocates to promote League positions.
If you are interested, please contact Lydia Zepeda at zepelow@gmail.com We can set up a time to chat about your interests and set up training. | Read These Recent Observer Corps Reports
| I-5 Mounts Road to Steilacoom-DuPont Road Corridor Improvements Coming | | | Commencement of a three-year construction project at the I-5/Steilacoom-DuPont Road Interchange, milepost 119, has been announced by the Washington State Department of Transportation. The widening of I-5 I-5 Mounts Road to Steilacoom-DuPont Road Corridor begins this month.
For more information about closures and other impacts, see this page. | Sign up for the LWVTPC Instagram Page
We feature The Woman of the Week, and post LWVTPC events. How to sign up?
- Download the Instagram App on your telephone. You can do this by searching for “Instagram” in your “Play Store” if you have an Android phone or “App Store” on an iPhone.
- Once you download Instagram, “follow” our Instagram account by searching for “LWVTPC” and click on “Follow”
- “Like” and comment on our LWVTPC posts.
And share this with your friends. | League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County
621 Tacoma Ave. S., #202
Tacoma, WA 98402
253-272-1495 lwvtpc.org | |