Democracy Forward – People’s Guide to Voting Rights
Candidates and committees: Be prepared for pre-general disclosure requirements
Candidates and committees: Be aware of reporting requirements in the last weeks before the general election.
Campaign books inspection:
In the 10 days preceding any election in Washington, members of the public may request to inspect the campaign books of account for candidates on the ballot, or committees participating in that election.
See a definition of election participation here.
Campaigns designate an email address on their registrations for these requests. Make sure someone is monitoring this email in the 10 days before the election. Failure to comply with one of these requests as required by law could result in PDC enforcement action.
This period begins on Oct. 24 and ends on Nov. 2.
Mandatory expenditure reporting:
Candidates and committees participating in the general election and registered as full-reporting must file a C-4 report seven days before the election, on Oct. 27. The report must be filed regardless of campaign activity. If your campaign raised or spent no money during the reporting period – Oct. 13 through Oct. 26 – your campaign is still required by law to file a C-4 reporting this.
Failure to file this report could result in PDC enforcement action.
If you need assistance, contact PDC staff at pdc@pdc.wa.gov or 360-753-1111.
WA Public Disclosure Commission
711 Capitol Way, Olympia, WA 98504
Public Disclosure Commission suspends enforcement of some pre-election contribution limits
Commission issues interpretive statement regarding the enforceability of RCW 29B.40.070
On Oct. 22, the Public Disclosure Commission adopted an interpretive statement advising that the agency will immediately suspend enforcement of pre-election limits on large contributions under RCW 29B.40.070, citing questions raised about its constitutionality.
The law in question prohibits campaigns from accepting contributions from any one person exceeding $75,000 for statewide campaigns, and $7,500 for local campaigns within 21 days of a general election, with some exceptions.
This interpretation does not affect enforcement of contribution limits under RCW 29B.40.020, which prohibit most candidates from accepting more than either $1,200 or $2,400, depending on the office they are seeking, from a single contributor for each election in which they appear.
The Public Disclosure Commission cannot rule on the constitutionality of Washington state’s campaign finance laws; the interpretation serves as formal direction to PDC staff regarding enforcement of this law.
The statement reads, in full:
“In recognition of significant concerns regarding enforceability of RCW 29B.40.070 as raised by US Supreme Court and other federal court authority, and in order to maintain fairness to all campaigns in the application of law, the Commission is suspending enforcement of that provision to the extent that it prohibits the making or receipt of a contribution exceeding $75,000 for a campaign for statewide office, or $7,500 for any other campaign. This interpretation does not declare or otherwise determine the constitutionality or legal status of this or any other law.”
Media Contact:
Natalie Johnson
Communications Specialist
Washington State Public Disclosure Commission
Natalie.Johnson@pdc.wa.gov
WA Public Disclosure Commission
711 Capitol Way, Olympia, WA 98504
Endorsed Candidates
Endorsed Candidate Index
John Duresky for Congress
Volunteer Siguup for John Dureskey
A Message from John Duresky for election day
A Message from the Campaign Manager | New Commercials Out
IBEW Local #112 Endorses | Help us Get Out the Vote
Big Week | Our Mailer Landed | Final Debate
Yakima Herald and Yakama Nation Endorse our Campaign
Front Page News | YouTube Live town tonight at 7pm | Voting has begun
New Ad | Ballots are dropping | YouTube Live town hall this week
Big Moves Happening on the campaign | Here’s What’s Going On
Clear win for John in first live debate | See the feebdack and watch
Clear win for John in first live debate | See the feebdack and watch
Wednesday Live-stream Candidate Debate | Debate Watch Parties | Canvassing in Yakima and Richland
YouTube Live Townhall TONIGHT | Canvassing on Saturday | New Endorsement
Town Hall Tonight | Welcoming Yakima Staff | YouTube Live Townhall Thursday
A message from Campaign Manager, Gabe Apodaca
Phonebanking on Wednesday and Canvassing on Saturday
Phonebanking tonight | YouTube Live Townhall Thursday Night
Veterans for John Kickoff | YouTube Live Townhall Thursday Night
Duresky Live YouTube District-Wide Townhall, Thursday, Sept 3rd 7-8:00 PM
We need Universal Healthcare | County Fairs | Upcoming YouTube Live Townhall
Join John Duresky at the Benton Franklin Parade Saturday | Grant County Fair Starting Friday
Meet & Greet John Duresky Tonight at Moonshot | Benton Franklin Parade |Grant County Fair
National Attention on WA-4 | Low-turnout drives importance of ballot returns
Duresky Campaign gains national attention
National Attention on WA-4 | Low-turnout drives importance of ballot returns
YouTube LIVE Townhall tonight starts at 7:00 pm | Link inside
District-Wide YouTube Live Townhall Tonight at 7:00 PM
YouTube LIVE Townhall | Phonebank Wednesday | The Home Stretch
Ballots are out | Phonebank Wednesday | Get Out the Vote & Celebrate
YouTube Live—District-Wide Townhall Tonight at 7:OOPM
Twisp Forum Tonight | Two Townhalls | Canvassing & BBQ on Saturday
Phone Banking in Pasco | Forum Tonight | Canvassing & BBQ
Happy Independence Day | Thank You | Parades—Forum—Canvassing & BBQ
I hate to ask—but the Federal Elections Commission Deadline Tomorrow
Fundraising Deadline | Let’s talk about immigration |Yakima Candidate Forum
New Endorsement | UNRIG | Plain. Talk. about corruption
Duresky Rocks | American Ranchers | Campaign Events
Events recap – Campaign ramps up – Pride month and Treaty Parade
Labor Endorsements – Friday Meet and Greet at Noon
Washington State Labor Council Endorsement and Fri-Sat Campaign Events
Get Yard Signs Today—Moses Lake Candidate Forum Today
Talk about Affordability and join us for Cinco de Mayo events this weekend
New Endorsement, Democracy Summer & Upcoming Events
Dear Friends of the John Duresky Campaign:
We are proud to announce that the John Duresky (WA-04) campaign will be participating as a partner in the 2026 National Democracy Summer School! This one-of-a-kind Democratic Fellowship, founded by Congressman Jamie Raskin and expanded across the country in an historic partnership with the DCCC, is dedicated to recruiting thousands of students and training them as the next generation of Democratic political activists and leaders.
As part of this educational and political initiative, we are looking for a group of dedicated students to join us here in Washington’s 4th Congressional District as John Duresky Campaign Democracy Summer Fellows!
(application will close Sunday, May 3 at 11:59pm)
This seven-week program will take place from Monday, June 22nd to Friday, August 7th and requires a commitment of 10-15 hours of campaign work per week. Fellows will also participate in exciting online seminars and a powerful curriculum designed by Congressman Raskin, while also organizing on-the-ground with John’s campaign here in WA-04.
Throughout the academic portion, Fellows will learn from academic luminaries, inspiring political leaders, policy experts, issue advocates and top community organizers from all across the country. Past Democracy Summer speakers have included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Professor Laurence Tribe, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Bennie Thompson, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the late Rep. John Lewis.
Not to mention, Fellows will also learn state-of-the-art skills in phone-banking, text-banking, canvassing, online organizing, low-dollar fundraising and voter registration—all the necessary ingredients for a thriving field operation! If you know a student who may be interested in this life-changing and America-changing program, please forward them this email. They won’t want to miss out!
If you would like to help fund our campaign as we mobilize our Fellows this summer, please click the link HERE!
Thank you for your support and solidarity,
Ashley Heyne
Volunteer Coordinator, Benton County
John Duresky for Congress
https://www.johnduresky4congress.com/
We have 2 Town Hall events coming up for the John Duresky campaign. We have:
1. Town Hall at White Bluffs Brewing, Wednesday 4/8 at 5:30 pm
2. Town Hall at Moonshot Brewing, Wednesday 4/15 at 6pm
We try to do the Moonshot events every 3rd Wednesday of each month. TBD whether we will also try to do recurring White Bluffs events – we will see how this one goes.
Thank you!
Ashley Heyne
Volunteer Coordinator, Benton County
John Duresky for Congress
John Duresky: Committed to Term Limits & Ethics in WA-04
The Mystery Of The Missing Signs
This campaign runs on conversations.
It’s official: I’m in the race for State Representative.
I’m running for State Representative
Volunteer Signup for Chelsea Dimas
Chelsea Dimas (endorsed by the Benton County Democrats) is looking for help to get the word out to 14th Legislative District. Her campaign plans is to canvass every weekend leading up to the general election. The first event THIS Saturday, September 5th at 10am in Sunnyside.
Use the link below to sign up to canvass.
Click here to see the original email message.
Join us for a special rally and community canvass on Sunday, June 28th in support of Chelsea Dimas for State Representative! Featured guests include: UFW, Senator Rebecca Saldana, Senator Adrian Cortes, Representative Sharlett Mena, Representative Julio Cortes, and Rep. Monica Jurado Stonier, with more special guests to be announced!
No experience needed—we’ll train you and get you ready to go! Please register as soon as possible so we can plan accordingly! Vamos con todo, mi gente!
Sign-up here: chelseaforwa.com/events
Please let me know if you have any questions! Looking forward to collaborating with you all and getting lots of volunteers!
With gratitude,
Chelsea
Ezequiel Morfin is a working-class father, electrician, and longtime community advocate from Toppenish who is running for State Representative because too many families are being priced out, pushed around, or left behind by decisions made far away from the people they affect.
I am running for Washington Supreme Court Position 3, and I wanted to reach out personally to introduce myself and share a little about who I am and why I am in this race.
I was born in Peru. My family came to this country when I was young, and we settled in Ballard and White Center as a large, working-class immigrant family. Growing up, I understood early what it meant to depend on institutions to be fair, to need the system to work, to be on the outside of power looking in. That experience never left me. It became the reason I went to law school, the reason I chose public service, and the reason I am asking for your support today.
After law school at Cornell, where I worked with the Public Interest Law Union and clerked for the Center for Capital Litigation defending death-row inmates in South Carolina, I began a career centered on one question: who does the law actually serve? Before joining the Department of Justice, I spent three and a half years at a firm in Houston where I devoted roughly 1,000 hours a year to representing a developmentally disabled Mexican national on Texas’s death row. My federal habeas petition succeeded. He was resentenced and removed from death row. That work reminded me every day why the law matters and who it is supposed to protect.
I joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle in 2008 and served nearly my entire tenure under President Obama. I did not just handle the cases that came across my desk. I built the office’s civil rights unit from scratch. I led the negotiation of the consent decree that reformed the Seattle Police Department. For an immigrant kid from White Center, that work was never abstract. It was the fulfillment of everything I believed public service could be.
President Obama nominated me to the federal bench. Mitch McConnell refused to allow a vote. I have always believed that the fact that Republican leadership worked to keep me off the federal bench says more about my record than almost anything else could.
So I kept going. I am now in my ninth year on the bench, first on the King County Superior Court, where my colleagues selected me to leadership and where the King County Bar Association ranked me in the top 10 of all judges for legal decision-making, and then for nearly four years on the Washington Court of Appeals. I have sat on the deciding panel in more than 700 cases and authored more than 200 majority opinions, many supporting labor and workers rights. I am proud of that record. It reflects nearly 25 years of fighting for fairness, accountability, and the rule of law.
I am humbled by the coalition that has come together in support of this campaign. Nine current or former Washington Supreme Court justices, including a majority of the sitting court, have endorsed me. Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis encouraged me to run and has endorsed only me in this race. Attorney General Nick Brown, who served alongside me in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, is with me. So are three former governors: Gary Locke, Christine Gregoire, and Jay Inslee. The justices who have served on the very court I seek to join know what the job demands. Their support means everything to me.
I grew up learning that institutions only work if the people inside them fight to make them fair. That is what I have done my entire career. That is what I will do on the Washington Supreme Court.
I hope to earn your endorsement. To learn more about my record and the full coalition behind this campaign, please visit diazforjustice.com.
With gratitude,
Mike Diaz
Candidate, Washington Supreme Court Position 3
Fellow PCOs,
This November, Washington voters will elect a new justice to Position 3 on our State Supreme Court. I am here to tell you unequivocally: that justice should be Mike Diaz
I have known Mike for years, and I want to be direct with you. He is a person I hold in the highest regard, for his integrity, for his intelligence, and for his lifelong pursuit of justice. He is exactly the kind of jurist Washington needs at this moment, when the rule of law is under assault and the stakes could not be higher.
Mike’s story is not just a legal resume. It is the story of Washington itself. He was born in Peru and came to this country as a child, growing up in a large working-class immigrant family in Ballard and White Center. He knows what it means to be on the outside of power, to need the system to work, to depend on institutions to be fair. That lived experience is not something you can learn in a classroom or a courtroom. It shapes how you see the law, who you fight for, and what justice actually means. No one else in this race brings that to the bench.
Mike has spent nearly 25 years in the law. He founded the civil rights unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle and led the negotiation of the consent decree that reformed the Seattle Police Department. President Obama nominated him to the federal bench. Mitch McConnell blocked him, because he knew Mike was the real thing.
I am also writing because I worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office when Mike was there. I watched him build the civil rights unit from scratch. I watched him devote thousands of hours a year to protecting the most vulnerable from potential police abuse. I watched him fix problems and ensure accountability. That is who Mike Diaz is when no one is watching.
And his broader record is stellar. Mike pro bono represented a developmentally disabled man on Texas’s death row and succeeded in getting him off it. He has authored more than 200 majority opinions across more than 700 cases on the Court of Appeals, many protecting labor and workers’ rights. His King County Bar Association peer ranking is top 10. His record speaks for itself.
Nine Washington Supreme Court justices, three former governors, and I have all looked at that record and reached the same conclusion. As PCOs, you set the direction of this party. I’m asking you to do two things: vote for Mike Diaz for Washington Supreme Court Position 3, and share his story with every voter in your precinct before ballots are due.
Learn more and see the full coalition at diazforjustice.com.
Nick Brown
Washington State Attorney General
No, Judge O’Donnell, reproductive rights DO come before our courts
Voters Deserve Transparency: Two Must-Read Articles
Help Judge Ian Birk in the last 8 days of this race!
Governor Bob Ferguson endorses Judge Ian Birk
Watch Judge Ian Birk’s campaign ad!
A message from Governor Jay Inslee
CRITICAL – Today’s Deadline Matters – Please Give Now
A message from Justice Mary Yu (ret.) and WA Court of Appeals Judge Linda Cobur
Ian’s opponent is closing the gap — we need you now
We cannot afford to lose this seat — here’s why
Breaking (Non) News: Ian’s Opponent Lands State Republican Support
Help Judge Ian Birk’s campaign reach its goal by midnight tonight
Please join us for a reception in Kennewick in support of Judge Ian Birk, who is running for the Washington State Supreme Court. This is a chance to meet Ian, hear about his campaign, and get involved with one of the most important judicial campaigns in the state.
Tuesday, June 23rd | 5:00pm-6:30pm
At the Kennewick office of GLP Attorneys
8500 W Gage Blvd, Suite A, Kennewick, WA 99336
Ian has spent his career fighting for working people, families, and consumers, and he brings that same commitment to the bench. Before becoming a judge, he spent 20 years in private practice representing injured workers and families, and he’s been a tireless advocate for everyday people throughout his career. He was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 2022 and has earned a reputation as a careful, fair, and independent jurist.
This race matters. Ian will face Sean O’Donnell directly on the November ballot — with no August primary — and well-funded conservative interests are already working against him. Building momentum now is critical.
A new article from The Washington Observer makes clear what many have been warning: this year’s Washington Supreme Court races are likely to become some of the most expensive and politically consequential judicial races our state has ever seen.
The article notes that right-leaning political and business interests are looking closely at the Supreme Court, with the possibility of $5 million or more being spent across Supreme Court races this cycle. It also specifically identifies Judge Ian Birk’s race as one that will attract major outside spending from groups hoping to shift the Court to the right.
That is why we cannot afford to treat this as a sleepy, nonpartisan judicial race. And it’s why we need your help today- this race will easily cost over 1/2 of a million dollars and likely more in order to show voters who Ian is and what he believes in.
Ian’s campaign has earned remarkable support: seven current and former Supreme Court justices, more than 100 judges representing all 39 counties in Washington State, the sole endorsement of the State Labor Council, teachers, machinists, and King, Snohomish, and Spokane Democrats — along with former Governor Jay Inslee and over 150 elected officials from across the state.
If you can join us on June 23rd, please RSVP here. If you’d like to RSVP without making a donation, respond to this email. If you can’t make it, please consider making a contribution to support Ian by donating here or adding your name as an endorser.
Hope to see you on June 23rd!
With gratitude,
Team Birk
Friends,
Friends,
Ballots will be mailed to voters THIS WEEK and Team Melody wants to make sure you’re ready.
Judicial races are easy to overlook on a long ballot, but the decisions made there affect every Washingtonian. Your vote matters, and so does making sure your friends, family, and neighbors vote too.
Here’s how you can help:
- Watch your mailbox. Your ballot will arrive soon after October 16.
- Vote early. Return it by mail or at a ballot drop box. It must be postmarked or in a drop box by Election Day, November 3.
- Chip in to power our campaign. We’re working to reach voters across the state in these final weeks, and every contribution helps us do it.
With your support, we can finish strong and win big this November. Thank you for everything you do!
Warmly,
Team Melody
Friends,
Justice Melody is on your November ballot, and we need your help to make sure voters are tracking how critical our judicial races are this year.
Justice Colleen Melody has spent her career serving the public with independence, fairness, and integrity—working to ensure that our judicial system treats every person equally under the law. But running a successful statewide campaign to keep a highly qualified justice on the bench is not easy.
As ballot drop boxes open across the state, we need to be prepared for outside spending and large PACs to spend in this race.
Thank you for standing with Justice Melody to preserve judicial integrity on the Washington State Supreme Court.
Team Melody
Final stretch: Vote, share, and join us for sign waiving!
Election Day is One Week Away – Judge Hawk needs your help today!
The Seattle Times, the Stranger, and the Urbanist All Agree: VOTE HAWK!
Election Day is Less than 3 Weeks Away and We can’t do it Without You!
New Poll Shows Hawk-Stevens Supreme Court Race Is a Toss-Up
Two very different visions for Washington’s Supreme Court — we have to get it right this November.
A Clear Choice for Supreme Court
34 Days left, Judge Hawk needs your support to win this November.
The future of Washington’s courts is up for grabs
Judge Hawk needs your help before November
We’re Moving onto the General Election, Thank You for Getting us Here
Ballots Are Still Being Counted. Thank You for Showing Up
One more push for Judge Hawk before Election Day
Judge Hawk Needs Your Help Spreading the Word to Vote Hawk!
Ballots are out, Judge Jaime Hawk Needs Your Help to Get the Word Out to VOTE HAWK!
Ballots are out, Judge Jaime Hawk Needs Your Help to Get the Word Out to VOTE HAWK!
Help Judge Jaime Hawk Close out June Strong!
Join Judge Jaime Hawk in Kennewick THIS Friday, June 12th!
heo Angelis has spent his career standing up for the rule of law, protecting the rights of individuals, and ensuring our courts remain fair, independent, and accessible to all Washingtonians.
Appointed to the Washington State Supreme Court in March 2026, Theo brings more than 25 years of legal experience as a respected appellate advocate, legal scholar, and public interest lawyer. Throughout his career, he has handled complex litigation and appellate cases involving constitutional issues, intellectual property, and federal and state law, earning recognition across the legal community for his rigorous legal analysis and commitment to justice.
In addition to his legal practice, Theo has dedicated significant time to public service and pro bono advocacy. He has represented asylum seekers and children in need, and his work supporting vulnerable communities has been recognized by organizations including the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND). He is also a recipient of the ACLU’s Humanitarian Award and the King County Bar Association’s Mentor of the Year honor.
Theo is the first Justice of Middle Eastern descent to serve the Washington State Supreme Court, and previously served as President of the Middle Eastern Legal Association of Washington (MELAW). The son and grandson of immigrants and refugees, he brings a deeply personal understanding of the importance of a legal system that protects opportunity, fairness, and equal treatment under the law.
He earned his law degree from Yale Law School and clerked for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit before beginning his legal career. Theo lives in Seattle with his family and is honored to serve the people of Washington on the state’s highest court.
A JUDGE WHO EARNED HER SEAT IN THE COURTROOM.
Sharonda Amamilo has spent her career in places most people never see: public defense offices, military intelligence units, family courts. Places where the most difficult decisions have to be made. She knows how difficult the legal system is to navigate, and what it costs people when it fails them.
Before the bench, Sharonda spent twelve years at the Thurston County Office of Public Defense, representing adults and children in criminal, juvenile, and dependency matters. She has seen firsthand what happens when someone walks into a courtroom with no idea what they’re up against. She also served over 25 years in U.S. Army military intelligence, retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer. Her work there as an Intelligence Oversight Officer required precise written analysis under pressure.
Today, Judge Amamilo serves on the Thurston County Superior Court, where voters elected her in 2020, making her the first person of color to hold this seat. Her docket has run from felony trials and complex civil disputes to dependency hearings and family law. As a Judge Pro Tempore on the Washington Court of Appeals, she also handles full record review and appellate deliberation alongside her Superior Court duties.
Sharonda has called Washington home since 1992. She and her husband of 28 years raised seven children here, and they now have six grandchildren. She earned her B.S. from Southern Illinois University, her MBA from Saint Martin’s College, and her J.D. from Seattle University School of Law.
Other Candidates
Other Candidates Index
Initiatives
October 27th, 2026
In this issue:
- Vote ‘no’ on I-645, don’t repeal WA ‘millionaires tax’
- An Incomplete History of the Millionaires Tax\
- Caregivers urge voters to say no to millionaires tax repeal
- Teachers like me imagine a better future for kids. That’s why we’re voting no on I-645
- WA hospitals could lose $6 billion from HR 1 cuts, Cantwell report says
One week out! That’s one week left for activists like you to take action to stop Initiative 645, the mega-millionaire sponsored initiative that would cut $13 billion from our state budget, slashing healthcare, education, and child care funding across the state.
We can’t let Initiative 645 pass.
Can we count on you to join us in taking action over the next week to get information for voters? There are plenty of ways to get involved. Choose one of the opportunities below to join either an in-person canvass or a virtual phone bank. You’ll get all the training and materials you need to make a difference!
Seattle – Canvass (October 31)
Tacoma – Canvass (October 31)
Olympia – Canvass (October 31)
Statewide – Phonebank (October 28)
Statewide – Final GOTV Phonebanks (November 1-3)
Thank you for taking action. We’ll see you out there.
In solidarity,
Ben, Invest in WA Now
VOTE ‘NO’ ON I-645, DON’T REPEAL WA ‘MILLIONAIRES TAX’
I was born on Capitol Hill and grew up in Lake Forest Park, and these days I’m raising my kids in South Seattle. I currently lead the Children’s Alliance, a statewide, nonpartisan organization that advocates for children and families.
We know that when working and middle-class families carry a disproportionate share of the tax burden, it becomes nearly impossible to build stability, save for the future and get ahead. Our current tax code hits families like this the hardest, those already struggling to afford basics like housing, childcare, groceries, transportation and healthcare. Their tax rate is more than three times higher than those with the greatest wealth.
More – Jim Brunner, The Seattle Times
AN INCOMPLETE HISTORY OF THE MILLIONAIRES TAX
According to Washington Education Association president Janie White, “The Millionaires Tax would help the state fund schools, health care, services for seniors and people with disabilities, and more.” Some of that funding could pay for special education, additional staffing, and behavioral health resources.
Pivotally, keeping the Millionaires Tax would enable the state to trim its high sales tax, which disproportionately affects the lower income brackets, according to Glickman.
More – John Stang, The Stranger
CAREGIVERS URGE VOTERS TO SAY NO TO MILLIONAIRES TAX REPEAL
My clients are the kind of people who literally pull up the couch cushions looking for change in order to buy basics like laundry detergent from the Dollar Store. They know what it’s like to pay their share and more. If I-645 passes, they’ll lose tax breaks on some over-the-counter medicines, diapers, and other household essentials, and they’ll feel it.
More – Ana Claudia Rodriguez Mendoza, The Tri-City Herald
TEACHERS LIKE ME IMAGINE A BETTER FUTURE FOR KIDS. THAT’S WHY WE’RE VOTING NO ON I-645
My first grade students don’t understand what it means that Washington state has one of the most regressive tax systems in the country. They don’t understand that out-of-control inflation and a war on the other side of the world are making it nearly impossible for families to keep paying the bills. They don’t know that schools are chronically underfunded and educators are asked to do more with less every year. Yet for the sake of my students and my own kids, I’m voting no on Initiative 645 this November.
More – Kellie Crawford, The Spokesman-Review
WA HOSPITALS COULD LOSE $6 BILLION FROM HR 1 CUTS, CANTWELL REPORT SAYS
In 2026, Harborview is expected to provide at least $20 million in care that Medicaid won’t reimburse, Kleweno Walley said.
Seattle’s Level I trauma center is known for its emergency care, crisis response and advanced medical programs — and all of those services “depend on a strong, financially sustainable institution,” the hospital’s CEO said.
“When that financial foundation is weakened, our ability to sustain these services is threatened, and the consequences reach far beyond the patients directly affected by Medicaid cuts,” Kleweno Walley said.
More – Elise Takahama, The Seattle Times
Join our Rapid Response Team!
Get in Touch Today
Invest in Washington Now, 509 Olive Way Ste 1133, Seattle, WA, 98101
Once upon a time, a MAGA millionaire tried to rewrite Washington…
The year is 2026. Brian Heywood, a Trump mega-donor and a hedge fund multimillionaire (who moved here from California), decided he knew better than Washington’s families. So he spent millions on paid signature gatherers to put three MAGA-backed initiatives on our ballot this November.
If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is. In 2024, Heywood paid for a stack of initiatives that would have gutted our climate law, repealed a tax on the ultra-wealthy, and dismantled our long-term care program. Washington voters saw right through his “wealthy win, families pay” playbook and closed the book on all three. Now he’s back for the sequel nobody asked for!
Here’s the thing. Families across our state are working hard to stay afloat in Donald Trump’s economy of tariffs and rising prices. Not one of these initiatives would lower the cost of groceries, rent, or health care. Here’s what they would do instead:
Pledge to VOTE NO on 001, 638 & 645
I-645: A tax cut for Heywood (paid for by everyday Washingtonians)
I-645 repeals Washington’s Millionaire’s Tax, blowing a $13 billion hole in funding for health care, child care, and K-12 schools. That means bigger class sizes, fewer free school meals for our kids, and higher costs for health care and child care (How is that even possible at this point?). Heywood wins and nearly everyone else loses.
I-001: Putting LGBTQ+ kids in danger
I-001 would repeal Washington’s bipartisan Safety Act (HB 1296) and strip away key student privacy protections. It removes commonsense safeguards for child abuse victims, forces schools to “out” LGBTQ+ kids, removes parents’ rights to immediate notification of crimes, and will worsen student mental health.
I-638: Invasive exams just to play sportsI-638 would impose a blanket ban on transgender student athletes and require invasive genital exams for ALL girls who want to play elementary, middle, or high school sports. Boys are exempt. It’s the most extreme MAGA initiative of its kind in the entire country.
The end of this story is up to us. We’ve shut Heywood down before, and together we can do it again. Ballots are mailed by October 16th and should arrive in your mailbox soon afterwards. We encourage you to return your ballot as early as you can—by November 3rd at the latest! Learn more about returning your ballot and make your plan to vote here.
Don’t let a MAGA millionaire take over our schools and our state. Defend Washington. Vote NO.
Here’s to voting happily ever after (by November 3rd)!
– Lauren, Sara, Olivia, Maricela, Kristin, Lorie, and the entire MomsRising Together Team
P.S. Plenty of Washington voters still haven’t heard what these initiatives would really do. We need help reaching voters across the state to let them know and encourage them to vote NO too. Sign up to help spread the word to vote NO on all three MAGA-backed statewide initiatives!
MomsRising Together, 12011 BEL-RED ROAD 100A, Bellvue, WA 98005, independently of and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
October 2nd, 2026
In this issue:
- Poll: Support for repealing WA ‘millionaires tax’ drops with budget impact
- Seattle Times recommends ‘No’ on I-645, ‘millionaires tax’
- Washington Taxed Its Millionaires. Now the Rich Want It Repealed.
- Millionaires tax benefits everybody
- Millionaires tax: Repeal is bad for our health
Donald Trump just came out opposing the Millionaires tax, and presumably in support of I-645 — the initiative that would cut billions in funding for healthcare, education, and child care in Washington. That shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, Trump championed a tax cut for the top 1% while recklessly slashing funding for hospitals, nursing homes, child care, and much more.
Initiative 645 is right on brand for Donald Trump.
Luckily, Washingtonians get it. Polling shows that when Washingtonians know the full impact of I-645, they are more likely to vote “No.” So with just weeks to go until voters get their ballots, can we count on you to help get information out to your friends, family, and neighbors? Fill out this quick survey and tell us the one thing you want to do between now and the election and we’ll make it happen. Post social media? Write a letter to the editor? Knock on some doors? We need everyone’s help to protect our state from I-645.
In solidarity,
Ben, Invest in WA Now
POLL: SUPPORT FOR REPEALING WA MILLIONAIRES TAX DROPS WITH BUDGET IMPACT
The poll of 800 Washington residents tested support for I-645 by evenly splitting the sample: 400 saw that budget-impact wording, and 400 did not.
It made a big difference.
Fifty-seven percent of those who saw the budget statement said they’d vote no on I-645, compared with 35% who said they’d vote yes to repeal the tax. Eight percent were undecided.
More – Jim Brunner, The Seattle Times
SEATTLE TIMES RECOMMENDS ‘NO’ ON I-645, ‘MILLIONAIRES TAX’ REPEAL
“But Initiative 645 does more than take away the 9.9% tax on incomes over $1 million. It maintains a bevy of promised tax credits that, without the income tax to fund them, would dig an even deeper budget hole. And it would prevent legislators from altering any of the initiative’s impacts for two years, absent a supermajority vote. That would come at an economically uncertain time: the last two years of the Trump administration, whose budget cuts have required Olympia to backfill lifesaving social programs; and with the state’s unemployment rate surging to among the highest in the nation.
More – Editorial Board, The Seattle Times
WASHINGTON TAXED ITS MILLIONAIRES. NOW THE RICH WANT IT REPEALED.
“People who don’t know much about Washington politics would assume we have a highly progressive tax code,” said Rian Watt, executive director of the nonprofit Economic Opportunity Institute, a progressive research and advocacy group in Seattle. “The reality is, we have a tax code written in the course of a couple of months in the 1930s.”
More – Anna Griffin, The New York Times
MILLIONAIRES TAX BENEFITS EVERYBODY
“My clients knew they benefited from employees who were trained in public schools, they appreciated their access to clean and plentiful water, clean air and fire fighters when needed. They appreciated the safe banking system, tax credits for their good deeds and business deductions that were generous in what was considered ‘business expenses’. They took advantage of good roads, rail, freight, and an internet that was developed with taxpayer dollars.
What I have a problem with is being stiffed for the bill when people take advantage of a system I and my fellows pay for without the largest benefactors giving back. The ‘tax’ is one way major benefactors can give back. There are many reasons to leave Washington, but tax if you earn more than a million dollars in a year shouldn’t be one of them. “I got mine” is not a good look.”
MILLIONAIRES TAX: REPEAL IS BAD FOR OUR HEALTH
“Research consistently demonstrates that more equitable societies experience lower mortality rates, longer lives and greater overall well-being.
“A fairer tax system that provides the resources to build a robust social safety net is by far the most impactful health intervention. That’s why the millionaires tax is a monumental step toward building a Washington where all communities, regardless of income, can thrive and experience long and healthy lives.”
More – Dr. Charles Mayer, The Seattle Times
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Invest in Washington Now, 509 Olive Way Ste 1133, Seattle, WA, 98101
No on Initiative 001
Once upon a time, a MAGA millionaire tried to rewrite Washington…
The year is 2026. Brian Heywood, a Trump mega-donor and a hedge fund multimillionaire (who moved here from California), decided he knew better than Washington’s families. So he spent millions on paid signature gatherers to put three MAGA-backed initiatives on our ballot this November.
If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is. In 2024, Heywood paid for a stack of initiatives that would have gutted our climate law, repealed a tax on the ultra-wealthy, and dismantled our long-term care program. Washington voters saw right through his “wealthy win, families pay” playbook and closed the book on all three. Now he’s back for the sequel nobody asked for!
Here’s the thing. Families across our state are working hard to stay afloat in Donald Trump’s economy of tariffs and rising prices. Not one of these initiatives would lower the cost of groceries, rent, or health care. Here’s what they would do instead:
Pledge to VOTE NO on 001, 638 & 645
I-645: A tax cut for Heywood (paid for by everyday Washingtonians)
I-645 repeals Washington’s Millionaire’s Tax, blowing a $13 billion hole in funding for health care, child care, and K-12 schools. That means bigger class sizes, fewer free school meals for our kids, and higher costs for health care and child care (How is that even possible at this point?). Heywood wins and nearly everyone else loses.
I-001: Putting LGBTQ+ kids in danger
I-001 would repeal Washington’s bipartisan Safety Act (HB 1296) and strip away key student privacy protections. It removes commonsense safeguards for child abuse victims, forces schools to “out” LGBTQ+ kids, removes parents’ rights to immediate notification of crimes, and will worsen student mental health.
I-638: Invasive exams just to play sportsI-638 would impose a blanket ban on transgender student athletes and require invasive genital exams for ALL girls who want to play elementary, middle, or high school sports. Boys are exempt. It’s the most extreme MAGA initiative of its kind in the entire country.
The end of this story is up to us. We’ve shut Heywood down before, and together we can do it again. Ballots are mailed by October 16th and should arrive in your mailbox soon afterwards. We encourage you to return your ballot as early as you can—by November 3rd at the latest! Learn more about returning your ballot and make your plan to vote here.
Don’t let a MAGA millionaire take over our schools and our state. Defend Washington. Vote NO.
Here’s to voting happily ever after (by November 3rd)!
– Lauren, Sara, Olivia, Maricela, Kristin, Lorie, and the entire MomsRising Together Team
P.S. Plenty of Washington voters still haven’t heard what these initiatives would really do. We need help reaching voters across the state to let them know and encourage them to vote NO too. Sign up to help spread the word to vote NO on all three MAGA-backed statewide initiatives!
MomsRising Together, 12011 BEL-RED ROAD 100A, Bellvue, WA 98005, independently of and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
In just 9 days Washington voters will begin casting their ballots. Trans rights are on the ballot this November, which means we have just 9 days to talk to as many voters as possible about why they should vote NO on IL-001 and IL-638 to protect trans kids.
Polling shows this is NOT a slam dunk even in Washington state and that we can’t take trans rights for granted. Will you join us at the doors to fight against hate?
Last week we hit 4,000 doors across the state, our best field week to date! But we’re not done yet. We’re launching across the state and we’re hoping to crush our field records again. Find a canvass near you below!
- Whatcom County on 10/10 and 10/11 at 2 PM
- Olympia on 10/11 @ 1 PM
- Seattle on 10/10 with Human Rights Commission and Jaelynn Scott @ 12 PM
- Tacoma on 10/10 @ 1 PM
- Kirkland on 10/11 @ 1 PM
- Everett on 10/11 @ 11 AM
- Vancouver on 10/10 @ 11 AM
- Spokane on 10/10 @ 10 AM
- And more linked here!
We can’t wait to see you at the doors!
Solidarity,
Chanpreet Singh
NHWS Field Director
NO HATE in WA State is a campaign of Washington parents, medical professionals, teachers, students, and community members standing against ballot measures IL26-001 and IL26-638 that would endanger Washington students and hurt our schools.
Reject the hate, bullying, and harassment of our students. Join us today.
NO HATE in WA State
PO Box 21961
Seattle, WA 98111
United States
For the Children, Why Washington State Voters Should Vote NO on Initiative 001
School is back in session, and so is the fight for student rights.
A group called Let’s Go Washington is trying to force discrimination into our children’s schools through two harmful initiatives that will appear on your ballot this Fall.
In our communities, we parent, teach, and coach as a team, and we know what’s best for our kids.
Rather than address the urgent challenges facing young people, Let’s Go Washington and other anti-trans advocates want to undermine vital student mental health resources and scapegoat and exclude transgender kids from school activities.
So, what exactly are the harms of the two initiatives proposed by Let’s Go Washington?
One initiative, I-001, would upend an important student privacy law and release private student health records without the student’s consent.
This initiative undermines the relationship between students and school counselors, particularly for LGBTQ+ students who could be at risk of disclosing their sexual orientation before they’re ready – and potentially to unsupportive homes. This could severely impact a young person’s stability at home at a time when they need love and support, not punishment and rejection.
The other initiative, I-638, openly discriminates against transgender girls by banning them from participating in girls’ sports in school. This harmful measure denies transgender girls equal opportunities shared by their peers and subjects all girls – and only girls – to invasive sex verification before they can play sports.
Sports are where young people learn teamwork, confidence, leadership, and how to overcome challenges. All students – regardless of their gender – deserve to participate in opportunities at their school without fear.
We need to support students this school year and seek solutions that actually help young people thrive in school – no matter who they are.
Join us in voting “NO” on I-638 and I-001.
Thank you,
ACLU of Washington
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA
No on Initiative 638
School is back in session, and so is the fight for student rights.
A group called Let’s Go Washington is trying to force discrimination into our children’s schools through two harmful initiatives that will appear on your ballot this Fall.
In our communities, we parent, teach, and coach as a team, and we know what’s best for our kids.
Rather than address the urgent challenges facing young people, Let’s Go Washington and other anti-trans advocates want to undermine vital student mental health resources and scapegoat and exclude transgender kids from school activities.
So, what exactly are the harms of the two initiatives proposed by Let’s Go Washington?
One initiative, I-001, would upend an important student privacy law and release private student health records without the student’s consent.
This initiative undermines the relationship between students and school counselors, particularly for LGBTQ+ students who could be at risk of disclosing their sexual orientation before they’re ready – and potentially to unsupportive homes. This could severely impact a young person’s stability at home at a time when they need love and support, not punishment and rejection.
The other initiative, I-638, openly discriminates against transgender girls by banning them from participating in girls’ sports in school. This harmful measure denies transgender girls equal opportunities shared by their peers and subjects all girls – and only girls – to invasive sex verification before they can play sports.
Sports are where young people learn teamwork, confidence, leadership, and how to overcome challenges. All students – regardless of their gender – deserve to participate in opportunities at their school without fear.
We need to support students this school year and seek solutions that actually help young people thrive in school – no matter who they are.
Join us in voting “NO” on I-638 and I-001.
Thank you,
ACLU of Washington
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA
More than 100 doctors, pediatricians, family physicians, and nurses across Washington have done something significant: they came together to publicly oppose I-001 and I-638.
These are the people who treat and care for our kids. Who sit with families in exam rooms. Who understands, better than almost anyone, what happens when politics gets between a patient and their doctor.
And they are sending us a message: these initiatives are dangerous and unnecessary.
Dr. Eloi Hoopman, a family physician, didn’t mince words about I-001:
“While most parents are loving and supportive, the reality is not all kids are safe at home…I-001 would require disclosure of students’ counseling, social work, and other records to abusive parents, including people charged with or under investigation for neglecting or beating their own children.”
Dr. Madie Gore spoke to what I-638 would actually mean for girls in youth sports:
“I-638 would force tens of thousands of young girls to undergo unnecessary genital exams just to play sports with their friends… From a medical, safety, and developmental perspective, I-638 is unnecessary, not backed by clinical guidelines, and would create unwarranted stress and harm for young girls.”
This isn’t rhetoric coming from politicians. This is what doctors are seeing and saying based on medical evidence and years of experience.
When 100+ medical professionals speak up together, we need to make sure every voter in Washington hears them.
Thank you,
No Hate in WA State
NO HATE in WA State is a campaign of Washington parents, medical professionals, teachers, students, and community members standing against ballot measures IL26-001 and IL26-638 that would endanger Washington students and hurt our schools.
Reject the hate, bullying, and harassment of our students. Join us today.
NO HATE in WA State
PO Box 21961
Seattle, WA 98111
United States
Wow! ☀️Summer break for our littlest learners (and those not-so-little anymore!) is coming to a close soon.
I hope you and all parents, aunties, grandparents and caregivers alike have been able to soak in a break from the school year hustle – but there’s something brewing in our collective future that I want to make sure we’re talking about proactively.
While more and more families across WA are struggling to stay afloat in Donald Trump’s economy of tariffs and inflation, but still managing to infuse their children’s lives with love and care, a Trump mega-donor and hedge fund multi-millionaire, Brian Heywood, is bankrolling two more ballot initiatives that would put our kids and their classmates in real danger.
→ ADD YOUR NAME here to our roster of parents and voters rejecting these initiatives.
🚨🚨🚨 These two initiatives, I-001 and I-638, will be on our November ballots, and I’m ringing the alarm now among our statewide community of fierce and loving moms and parents because these initiatives would remove commonsense protections for child abuse victims, out LGBTQ+ students to unsupportive families, and subject hundreds of thousands of girls to invasive genital exams just to play afterschool sports.
Parents and voters may not always agree on everything (heck, we’re all figuring out the screen time battle in our own way, on the fly!), but something I know to be true is that we work together to protect our children from harm and set them up for a life of joy and success.
This is one of many reasons why MomsRising is a proud endorser of No Hate in WA, the campaign opposing I-001 and I-638.
Knowledge is power, so I want to make sure you have the facts about I-001 and I-638:
FACTS ABOUT I-001: THE FORCED OUTING INITIATIVE
What I-001 Does:
- I-001 would repeal the Safety Act (HB 1296), a bipartisan bill that ensures students have access to education and a safe learning environment. It would reinstate I-2081 and strip critical student privacy protections.
- Removes protections for abused children: Current law prevents parents under criminal investigation for child abuse from accessing their child’s social work, counseling, and disciplinary records. I-001 removes this protection.
- Forces schools to “out” LGBTQ+ students: I-001 would require teachers and counselors to reveal students’ identities to parents, even when doing so puts the student at risk of abuse or homelessness.
- Restricts students’ access to help: Students facing violence, sexual abuse, bullying, or depression would be less likely to seek help from school counselors who would be required to disclose confidential information.
- Disrupts classrooms: I-001 empowers extremist groups to challenge what teachers can teach, using confusing language that exposes school districts to costly lawsuits.
Yikes. No thanks. → ADD YOUR NAME here to our roster of parents and voters rejecting these initiatives.
FACTS ABOUT I-638: INVASIVE EXAMS ON GIRLS
What I-638 Does:
- I-638 is a constitutional amendment imposing a blanket ban on transgender students in girls’ sports and requiring medical verification of sex for female athletes. It replaces Washington’s successful case-by-case policy that has been in place since 2007.
- Invasive genital exams on girls: Under I-638, girls who want to play on a team will need medical certification of their sex, defined as a “reproductive organ” exam or costly genetic/hormone testing. Boys are exempt from these requirements.
- Disproportionate impact on girls of color: Low-income, rural, Black, brown, and immigrant girls who lack access to long-term family doctors would be most affected. These families often rely on free group sports physicals where genital inspections would be especially harmful.
- Replaces a working policy: Washington has had transgender-inclusive sports policies since 2007 with no issues. Only a handful of transgender girls play after school sports in Washington. The current case-by-case approach works.
- Medically unnecessary: The American Academy of Family Physicians says sports physicals should focus on heart, bone, and lung issues. The American College of OB-GYNs says pelvic exams have no medical reason for girls under 21 unless they have other health concerns.
- Black and brown girls face more scrutiny: Research shows that Black and brown women athletes face challenges to their sex far more frequently than white athletes. I-638 could be used to harass girls of color and keep them off sports teams.
These initiatives are opposed by nurses, mental health experts, teachers, domestic violence prevention advocates, the WA State Nurses Association, and MomsRising — because they’re poorly written measures that play politics with our children’s safety and wellbeing.
Out of 1 million K-12 students in our state, only a handful (5-10) of trans girls play sports and it’s not okay for a Trump mega-donor to bully them – and threaten all girls who play sports – with this statewide ballot initiative when the real threats to fairness in girls’ sports are systemic factors like under-resourced school district budgets and family wealth gaps.
Caring about girls’ sports means removing barriers, not creating more barriers for all girls in WA, like the invasive genital exam requirements proposed by I-638.
As parents and community members, we have the power to say no to I-001 and I-638 – and the mega-millionaire bankrolling a statewide effort to bully vulnerable kids via the ballot.
Thank you for making it this far! Together, we’re a powerful force.
Enjoy the rest of your summer. Hug your kids. And when the time comes, let’s make sure they go back to schools and sports that will remain safe, supportive, and on their side.
Warmly,
Sara, Lauren, Maggie, Maricela, Olivia and the entire MomsRising team
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