Vote! And Hear from Our State Representatives! November 2022 General Meeting
We've got a full month in November! At our November 15 General Meeting, Senator Jamie Pedersen and Representative Frank Chopp will discuss their legislative priorities for the upcoming 2023 legislative session. They'll give us tips on how to engage with the legislative process, and you'll have an opportunity to ask questions.
43rd Democrats! We've got a full month; read along for a reminder to vote, details about an upcoming 43rd LD Environmental Caucus meeting, and our November General Meeting where you'll hear from our State Representatives.
November 15 General Meeting
At our November 15 General Meeting, Senator Jamie Pedersen and Representative Frank Chopp will discuss their legislative priorities for the upcoming 2023 legislative session. They'll give us tips on how to engage with the legislative process, and you'll have an opportunity to ask questions. (See the full agenda here.)
To help them understand what we're interested in hearing about, and to help us manage the Q&A, we've created a super short survey. Please take less than 5 minutes to fill it out.
Our meeting is at 7pm on Tuesday November 15.
Click here to register.
Remember to Vote
First things: We're just days away from the close of voting in Washington. If you haven't submitted your ballot, please take just a few minutes this weekend to fill it out and drop it into the mail or walk it to the nearest drop box. You can see our list of endorsed candidates and ballot measures on our website.
43rd LD Environmental Caucus Meeting
At the next monthly 43rd LD Environmental Caucus meeting on November 10, from 7-8:30pm, Rep. Frank Chopp and Rep. Nicole Macri will talk about environmental priorities for the upcoming session. Send email to 43rdenvcaucus@gmail.com for details.
I hope you’ll join us at 7pm on Tuesday November 15. Click here to register.
We're endorsing in June!
This is a great opportunity to hear from candidates and influence the representation of our district! The last date to become an eligible voting member in time for this meeting is June 12th. We'll also hear from 44th LD Rep April Berg about her race, and from 43rd Rep Nicole Macri about how we can help elect Democrats in critical races across Washington State. Will you cast your vote?
Please join us on Tuesday, June 21st at 7pm, for our endorsements meeting!
This is a great opportunity to hear from candidates and influence the representation of our district! The last date to become an eligible voting member in time for this meeting is June 12th.
We'll also hear from 44th LD Rep April Berg about her race, and from 43rd Rep Nicole Macri about how we can help elect Democrats in critical races across Washington State.
You can review the agenda here.
Come learn about social housing, lidding I-5, and ranked-choice voting!
In addition to our regular meeting this month, join us an hour early learn about Initiative 135 and Social Housing. This initiative seeks to create a public development organization that will create publicly owned, social housing for those making 0-120% of area median income. If you've got questions about how we can make Seattle more affordable, what social housing is, and how this initiative might help, join us!
Please join us on Tuesday, April 19, for our next General Meeting!
6PM: Learn About Initiative 135 - Social Housing
In addition to our regular meeting this month, join us an hour early learn about Initiative 135 and Social Housing. This initiative seeks to create a public development organization that will create publicly owned, social housing for those making 0-120% of area median income. If you've got questions about how we can make Seattle more affordable, what social housing is, and how this initiative might help, join us! You can send questions you might have in advance to advocacy@43rddemocrats.org.
7PM: General Meeting
Please keep in mind that we do try to be respectful of each other's volunteered time and so will try to keep ourselves and fellow members to the agenda's times!
This meeting includes several guest speakers: candidates for local races, from the Lid I-5 campaign, and on Ranked Choice Voting. Additionally, we'll vote on a Budget, and on a resolution to endorse the Social Housing Initiative 135.
You can review the agenda here, and the March 2022 Meeting Minutes here.
March Meeting and Voter-Listening
In addition to our regular meeting this month, join us an hour early to phonebank 43rd voters with your fellow 43rd members and PCOs! We'll be calling folks to hear their priorities for the Democratic Party, and encourage them to add their voices to our meetings. Our general meeting will otherwise begin at 7pm. We also have an external event and resource for ya…
6PM: Voter-Listening Calls
In addition to our regular meeting this month, join us an hour early to phonebank 43rd voters with your fellow 43rd members and PCOs! We'll be calling folks to hear their priorities for the Democratic Party, and encourage them to add their voices to our meetings. We'll also inform them of our legislative victories this session, made possible by our Democratic Majority in Olympia.
This is a great way to connect with voters and let them know the 43rd Democrats care about their priorities year-round—whether it’s election season or not! We’ll have numbers ready, along with a brief instruction before actually making calls.
7PM: General Meeting
Please keep in mind that we do try to be respectful of each other's volunteered time and so will try to keep ourselves and fellow members to the agenda's times!
This meeting includes guest speakers from Seattle municipal court and King County prosecutor candidates. We'll also hear a few updates from Rep. Adam Smith, and our state lawmakers.
We would, of course, be remiss to not mention the upcoming 43rd Caucus and Washington State Democrats Convention. Same goes for those dang LD boundaries!
The 43rd itself has some appointments to consider: Our Membership Chair, King County Democratic Central Committee Alternate, and Precinct Committee Officers (PCOs).
Upcoming External Event & Resource:
The Northwest Justice Project has made some housing and eviction resources and a subsequent social media kit to share them around!
Otherwise, House Our Neighbors! will have a March 10 listen-and-learn about social housing at 3:15pm. Sign up at the link in the previous sentence.
URGENT: Upcoming WA Caucus! (+Legislative actions)
The March Caucus is fast-approaching, so those even thinking you might be interested: Become a member to reserve your right to participate!
Attending a Caucus (which selects delegates for the State Convention) requires 43rd folks to have already been a member by Feb. 24. (FYI, Delegates will have to declare by April 1-ish if they will attend in person or virtually.)
Separately, there’s a Town Hall February 19th!
Seriously, this is important!
The March Caucus is fast-approaching, so those even thinking you might be interested: Become a member to reserve your right to participate!
Voting at the Caucus (which selects delegates for the State Convention) requires 43rd folks to have already been a member by Feb. 24. (FYI, Delegates will have to declare by April 1-ish if they will attend in person or virtually.)
What happens at a State Convention? Only helping decide the Democratic platform that will be in place for the next two years, resolutions, and amendments to the State Party Charter and Bylaws. It's kind of a big deal. We'll send even more info soon!
Upcoming Virtual Town Hall
If you'd like to ask questions of our 43rd legislators this weekend, be sure to submit them ahead of time! Regardless, tune in at 1pm this Saturday, Feb. 19, to watch via Facebook or YouTube.
Our February Meeting
There was admittedly a lot going on Feb. 15th! Most people had overlapping meetings, not to mention the legislative cut-off date that evening, and organizers separately preparing for a "sick-out" to demonstrate their importance as workers. But don't worry, if you missed the meeting, you can watch it here!
Legislative Actions & Updates
On behalf of our Policy & Advocacy Committee, we'd like to share some of our legislative priority actions actions discussed during the meeting with you all:
Climate-Intersecting-with-Housing Bills
SB 5042, closing the Growth Management Act (GMA) sprawl loophole, has a hearing TOMORROW! So sign in "PRO" by 12:30pm! (do not list an organization or us so we're not just lumped in to one effort instead of many different individuals)
HB 1099, adding climate resiliency & environmental justice into our GMA, is scheduled for a vote in the Senate Housing and Local Government Committee tomorrow at 8AM. While WA Can't Wait is confident there won't be an issue in the Committee, you can still let Representatives know that we want them to vote YES on HB 1099! Here's who's voted for and against it so far.
HB 1220, which adds affordable housing requirements into the GMA and passed last year, will ideally see a budget proviso so that the state will provide funds to community organizations to do outreach to and engage folks who otherwise aren't typically sought in urban planning.
Relatedly, HB 1769—advancing housing affordability by sunsetting the legal authority of municipal corporations to veto land use decisions—would help HB 1220 fully apply to the entire state. It thankfully passed out of the House by the Feb. 15 deadline, and now sits in the Sen. Housing & Local Government Committee.
Equitable justice-related bills
HB 1406/SB 5426, the Billionaire wealth tax that would only impact 12 whole people in Washington state, could technically be revivable at any time because it has a fiscal note but it looks like legislators are aiming to let it sit on the bench. Instead, Democrats are flouting a one-time "holiday sales tax" (HB 2018) like it makes up for not making the ultra-rich pay their fair share. A whole coalition of organizations sent a letter to House leadership asking that they instead prioritize tax reform that helps those with the least. [Note: The 43rd Dems do not officially have a stance on this latter bill.] It's also of note that our very own Sen. Jamie Pedersen has told 43rd members before how he doesn't support a wealth tax.
Relatedly, all of the other tax reform bills (an estate tax, an inheritance tax, and Guaranteed Basic Income) already died on the vine this year. Shout out to Poverty Action Network's Shaun Scott for his fabulous testimony on GBI and to Balance Our Tax Code's efforts around, well, our backwards taxes.
After HB 1782, an effort to add missing middle housing, was largely gutted (down to only a half mile from high-frequency transit but with reduced density, now defines "courtyard apartments" as six units instead of four, and generally slows down new housing), it didn't make the Feb. 15 cut-off.
Note: The 43rd does seek $500 million at minimum in the budget for low Area-Median-Income (AMI) housing!
Police Accountability
Just like the rest of the police accountability bills this year, Community Oversight Boards died early this session.
Instead, some of our very own Democrats are proposing bills left and right to roll back the accountability efforts won last session, despite the pleas of families affected by police violence. [Again, the 43rd Dems have no official standing here; this is just FYI.] Some examples of this: SB 5919 which would allow police to use physical force at any brief investigatory stops, including traffic stops, and allows more incredibly dangerous vehicular pursuits (Sen. Pedersen voted no!) + HB 2037 which would allow police to use physical force and fire to stop someone from running away during a Terry stop, and unfortunately it passed the House by a wide margin (but both our Reps. Nicole Macri and Frank Chop voted no!)
Democracy Bills
The local options bill for Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) bill (HB 1156) unfortunately didn't make the Feb. 15 cut-off. That said, advocates did win an hour-long work session with legislators that's to-be-aired. (Normally, it's just 15 minutes.)
Likewise, the presidential primaries RCV bill (SB 5851) died after the first Feb. 7 cut-off.
Keep your eye on the bill trying to update our state's Voting Rights Act, though! Certainly provides some remedies after our state's redistricting mess in Yakima. Votes so far have been straight down party lines (surprise, surprise).
Education
One of our priorities is increased and equitable education funding according to the McCleary decision...but we haven't heard much talk on this at all...
Transportation
Despite the amazing Move Ahead WA campaign's best efforts to "fix it first" and center public transportation in the state's transportation budget, it looks like Democrats' transportation package includes $4 billion for highway expansion. More deets here. Shout out generally to Disability Rights Washington, Front & Centered, Transportation Choices Coalition, and 350 Seattle's valiant efforts to push our state to actually meet its professed climate values.
Hello, new LD members!
So that we can respect each other's time, please peruse the agenda beforehand. We have a pretty busy schedule! Hear statements from King County District Court judge candidates, learn about some upcoming event opportunities, vote for new executive board positions, find out what redistricting means for you and some new members, take action around the legislative priorities that survived this session's first and second cut-off dates. Join us Feb. 15th!
So that we can respect each other's time, please peruse the agenda beforehand. We have a pretty busy schedule!
Join us to
Hear statements from King County District Court judge candidates
Learn about some upcoming event opportunities
Vote for new executive board positions
Find out what redistricting means for you and some new members
Take action around the legislative priorities that survived this session's first and second cut-off dates
There is a proposed bylaws change to accept new members from other districts subsequent to redistricting.
Electing a New Chair, and more!
During our Jan. 18th, 7PM meeting, PCOs will elect a new Chair and King County Representative of the 43rd! All of the submitted statements for the positions can be viewed here. With all of the hullabaloo that happened with redistricting—which still has to be approved by the Legislature—we'll also cover what these changes might mean for each of us. Otherwise, the first day of this year's short legislative session began Jan. 10! Which means it's time to organize.
So that we can respect each other's time, please peruse the agenda beforehand. Can we count on you to join us?
During this meeting, PCOs will elect a new Chair and King County Representative of the 43rd! All submitted statements for the positions can be viewed here. With all of the hullabaloo that happened with redistricting—which still has to be approved by the Legislature—we'll also cover what these changes might mean for each of us. Otherwise, the first day of this year's short legislative session began Jan. 10! Which means it's time to organize. If you haven’t heard, we do already have legislative priorities.
So that we can respect each other's time, please peruse the agenda beforehand. We’ll meet Jan. 18th at 7PM.
Step up in The 43rd!
There will be two openings in the Executive board: 43rd Chair and 43rd Representative to the King County Democrats. We will elect these positions at the January 18 meeting. All those elected will fill out terms running until January 2023. We will publish candidate statements for starting…
Happy 2022, 43rd District Democrats!
...Still feels weird writing, typing, and reading "2022."
Needless to say, there will be two openings in the Executive board. We will elect these positions at the January 18 meeting. All those elected will fill out terms running until January 2023.
As announced at the November meeting, 43rd Chair Scott Alspach has stepped down to devote time to a new baby, so we will be electing a new chair.
We will publish candidate statements for chair starting January 11th. Please submit a statement of no more than 500 words to tara.gallagher@43rddemocrats.org. Statements can be submitted up to the day of the meeting, there will also be speaking opportunities for the candidates.
Only PCOs (elected and appointed) can vote for the chair.
PCOs: Please note that we will make available to chair candidates PCO contact information provided when filing for election or appointment. PCOs who want to opt out of the contact list, please contact PCO chair Cody Olsen by Monday, January 8th.
Candidates should be aware that at the first meeting after new district maps are official and membership boundaries change, the PCOs will have an option to vote to have a new election for chair. This is not likely to happen, but be aware of the possibility.
There is also an opening for a representative to the King County Democrats; Tara Gallagher stepped down following her election as Vice-Chair. Per King County Democrats by-laws, this position is open to anyone who identifies as anything other than male (ie, female or non-binary). Please note that KCD meetings are expected to remain remote for 2022.
This position is also elected by only PCOs. Candidates will have a chance to speak at the meeting, candidates don't need to provide any advanced statement.
If you have any questions about the positions or the elections, please contact Vice Chair Tara Gallagher at tara.gallagher@43rddemocrats.org