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League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County Condemns "Approval Voting" Campaign Tactics

The League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County denounces the voter confusion tactics of the Proposition 1A campaign.

October 27, 2022

Seattle, WA — The campaign for approval voting in Seattle is peddling in disinformation unbefitting a “pro-democracy” campaign. In a recent mailer, Seattle Approves made several alarming claims about ranked-choice voting (Prop 1B) that don’t match the facts.

Here’s what the mailer says:

● Timing:

○ Claim: Approval voting would be implemented in 4 months while ranked-choice voting will take years.

○ Fact: This was fact checked by local experts and found to be false. Approval Voting and Ranked-Choice Voting would both be implemented in August 2025.

● Support:

○ Claim: Prop 1B is only supported by the Seattle City Council.

○ Fact: 30+ local organizations have endorsed Prop 1B, while Prop 1A boasts no local support. Prop 1B is the real grassroots campaign.

● The Voters:

○ Claim: Prop 1B is confusing.

○ Fact: Ranked-choice voting is an upgrade voters love. After New York City used ranked- choice voting for the first time, nearly 80% of voters said they liked the system. Ranked- choice voting invites more voices to the table and empowers each and every voter. That’s why civic groups like the League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County, FairVote Washington, Fix Democracy First, and racial justice organizations in Seattle all endorse Prop 1B.

● Cost:

○ Claim: Approval voting would be free.

○ Fact: Any change to our elections must include voter education efforts, and those come with costs. Proposition 1B takes voter education into account, while Proposition 1A would leave some voters behind. Seattle Approves’ apathy about voter education is a red flag for the League.

A campaign’s job is to educate voters. The Prop 1A mailer also fails to mention “approval voting” by name. This obfuscation of the true identity of Prop 1A is a disservice to voters who want to understand the issues on their ballot.

Mary Taylor, 1st VP of the LWV S-KC, said, “These false claims paint an unflattering portrait of the

Prop 1A campaign. They are relying less on voter education and more on voter confusion – a goal directly opposed to the work we do at the League.”

Heather Kelly, President of the LWV S-KC, said, “For a campaign claiming to be about voter empowerment, the team behind Proposition 1A is not acting the part. They are engaging in shady tactics and misinformation meant to spook voters from supporting the smart, commonsense solution of ranked- choice voting. Anti-voter tactics have no place in Seattle. Choose Proposition 1B.”

The Ranked-Choice Voting for Seattle campaign is made up of a coalition of local advocates dedicated to voter education and enfranchisement. The League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County has endorsed Proposition 1B for ranked-choice voting because it gives voters greater say in our democracy. You can learn more about the Ranked-Choice Voting for Seattle campaign at their website.

LWVSKC Response to Leaked Draft Decision on Roe v. Wade: President’s Statement of Solidarity

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

My name is Heather Kelly and I am the President of the League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County. This week we learned that the Supreme Court is almost certainly going to overturn Roe v. Wade, decided almost 50 years ago now, which held that the right to an abortion is enshrined in the Constitution.

To all the women across the country who woke up yesterday to that news and realized that their right to an abortion is now in jeopardy, please know, you are not alone. If you are living in a state where lawmakers are rolling back access to abortion or threatening to do so, we know you’re feeling scared and angry. It feels personal because it is. We are here in solidarity with you, we will take action, and we are here to lift you up.

To the Black and brown women betrayed by this decision, we see you. We know the denial of abortion access compounds the systemic discrimination and disproportionately poor maternal outcomes that you already face. As we brace ourselves for this fight, I am calling on White folks to listen and follow BIPOC women and find ways to use our racial privilege to center their needs.

To the trans and gender nonconforming folks for whom the right to an abortion is the right to live as your authentic self, we see you. We know how much is at stake for you in this fight, and we are standing with you.

To the many League members and other activists across the country who fought for decades so that my generation and my nieces and all future women in the United States could have legal access to abortion, we see you and we thank you. You have charted our course and motivated us for the work ahead. We are here to continue your fight.

Personally, I just feel hollow. As a friend said, “I’m just so tired of fighting for the basics.” But we will. We won’t get it done all at once, but we will do it together so we can take turns standing up, stepping aside, recharging, and charging in again. And we’ll find ways to celebrate each other along the way, too. As Rebecca Solnit writes, “When you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated, and isolated, joy is a final act of insurrection.”

Take a breath, and when you’re ready, find your local League or other pro-choice organization and let’s dive in together. [Video statement available here.]