WSDCC – September 4, 2026

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Friday, September 4, 2026

It’s Friday, Washington Democrats! Happy Fall! We are 60 days away from Election Day!

Working for Washington

Thank you to everyone who helped us share information on the threats facing vote-from-home elections systems across the country. We’ll have more information about recent developments on that front below. As always, follow us on social media for the latest.

This past weekend, we gathered Chairs from our County and Legislative District Parties to discuss upcoming business, provide support, and get to know each other outside of the business of State Committee Meetings and Convention. It was great to see so many people (from all across the state!) who are invested in improving their communities and ensuring everyone has an opportunity to vote for Democratic leadership. As a former Chair of the King County Democrats, I know just how important these roles are. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all of the Chairs who are making a real difference in their communities.

On Friday, September 18, Washington Democrats are rolling out the red carpet for two Democratic Party superstars, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and California U.S. Representative Ro Khanna. We’re hosting a gala reception at the Edgewater Inn. This is your chance to bust out your best cocktail attire and hear from two potential 2028 Presidential candidates about their visions for our country and how we’re going to undo all the damage of the Trump-Vance administration. Expect delicious food, amazing views of Puget Sound, and a who’s who of Washington Democratic leadership. I hope to see you there!

Vote-by-Mail Elections Update

This week, Washington state was targeted by the Department of Homeland Security to investigate made up claims of voter fraud. Secretary of State Steve Hobbes was quick to announce that DHS never actually contacted his office about this suspect investigation, and pointed out that “incidents of voter fraud are incredibly rare. In Washington state, there were just five cases between 2008 and 2025, out of 90 million ballots cast during that time.” You can read Secretary Hobbes’ full statement here.

Another proof point about the incredible accuracy and professionalism of Washington’s elections just occurred in our August Primary. In Whatcom County, out of 50,000 ballots cast, two Democrats were separated by just four votes – that’s less than one-hundredth of a percentage point. After a hand recount, election workers found a 100% match. As columnist Danny Westneat put it, “every vote came out the same, every time.”

Also this week, a whistleblower in the federal government warned of “potentially catastrophic problems” with the U.S. Postal Service’s new procedures for handling mail ballots. Let’s be clear, the rot is at the top of USPS, not among our hardworking USPS mail carriers and regional staff. Under direct orders from Trump, they are rushing to implement an unproven, chaotic, and unneeded system that will systematically disenfranchise potentially millions of voters. 

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell hosted a news conference to warn that it’s riskier than ever to rely on sending your ballot in by mail in our elections. In our August Primary, 20,000 ballots were rejected because they were postmarked too late. Rural areas are being hit particularly hard with Mason and Stevens counties quadrupling the rate of rejected ballots in this year’s primary election compared to 2024’s. We echo Senator Cantwell and Secretary Hobbs’ advice that voters should use a ballot drop box. If you must mail your ballot in, do so as soon as possible to avoid the risk of your vote not being counted!

Make no mistake, Washington Democrats are already planning how to ensure Washington voters will exercise their constitutional rights in this election should the worst case scenario come about. Thankfully, federal courts have stopped the USPS rule from taking effect, but we cannot predict what the Trump-stacked Supreme Court will do in the run up to November.

Democrats Fight Back

Attorney General Nick Brown helped secure a $200M+ payout from social media giant Meta over addictive features on facebook and Instagram. This was part of an $18 billion settlement to 48 states. There are still thousands of lawsuits facing Meta from individuals, school districts, and local governments.

Relatedly, Governor Bob Ferguson has been hard at work laying the groundwork for a cellphone ban in public schools. He’s crisscrossing the state to build support for his plan from schools, teachers, and parents. He kicked off his tour at Pasco High School which already has a phone ban in place. Legislators will have an opportunity to pass this legislation in January, when the next legislative session kicks off.

Our friends in the 34th Legislative District Democrats are hosting their second Bend It Like Booker 25-hour community event! In honor of Sen. Cory Booker’s historic 25-hour filibuster, they have put together 25 hours of storytelling, presentations, and speeches from a cross section of Washington’s best and brightest. Of course, yours truly will also be speaking (time TBD) but I hope you will tune in for some or all of it! The event starts Saturday, September 12 at 10AM at the IAM 751 Union Hall and runs through Sunday, September 13 at 11:15AM. Find out more here!

Rally, Protest, and Gather

• Anytime – Sign up to receive ICE Mobilization Alerts for communities in Washington state. Sign up here.
• Anytime – We have organizing events nearly every day of the week through the Primary – find the nearest to you at www.wadems.org/events!
• TOMORROW – Saturday, September 5, 10AM-1PM, Knock Doors with WA Dems in Snoqualmie, West Seattle, Bremerton, Bothell, and Vancouver
• TOMORROW – Saturday, September 5, 4PM-6PM, Statewide Virtual Phonebank

Send us details on rallies and protests in your communities

• Email details to press@wa-democrats.org

Democrats in the News

WA officials decry Trump administration’s reported ramp-up in voter fraud investigations, Washington State Standard

‘No’ on Initiative 001, ‘parent’s rights,’The Seattle Times (editorial)

Analysis: Why Washington’s primary should worry the GOP, Pluribus News (requires subscription)

Are WA millionaires really leaving to avoid tax?, The Seattle Times

Postal Service is building ballot screening system despite ongoing court fight, The Seattle Times

WA declares emergency over Walla Walla drinking water threatened by fire, The Seattle Times

Record number of WA mail-in ballots uncounted after primary election, report finds, KUOW

Benton, 4 more WA counties will get wildfire emergency declaration help, Tri-City Herald

How abortion could shape 2028, Politico

Donate

• If you would like to see less Washington D.C. and more Washington state in your community, please DONATE to The Real Washington Fund – our rapid response account to counter MAGA’s chaos with real organizing, real solutions, and real results. We can’t do the work of holding Republicans accountable without your support.

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What I’m Reading

The AI debate isn’t about AI. It’s about control, Fast Company

This is a must-read column about how Democrats should message and build policy around Artificial Intelligence. Americans want more control over their lives and AI threatens to take even more away without strong guardrails. I encourage everyone in elected positions to consider how they can empower Americans to retain control in the face of AI’s potential to structurally change the foundations of our lives. This issue will only gain more traction as we approach the Presidential election in 2028.

What I’m Asking

There’s important work happening across Washington, and your continual support helps make it possible. Contributing to WaDems today will help us organize in every community, reach more voters, and elect leaders who share our values. Whether it’s $10, $25, or more, every donation strengthens our party and helps us keep moving Washington forward.

Thanks for all you do,

Chair Shasti Conrad
Washington State Democratic Party

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