Sept. 2026 Newsletter: At the Starting Line

The last two years have been a long decade, but just like that we’re deep into election season. King County Democrats have worked hard to find candidates and causes we believe in. Now we need to do the critical work of encouraging people to vote for them. We need everyone reading this (and as many who aren’t that you can convince) to get the word out.

Here are a few highlights we want to put special emphasis on:

Five (FIVE!) Washington state’s Supreme Court Justices will be on the ballot this year. We need to ensure that our communities receive just and fair support. The Republican administration and the conservative majority of the federal supreme court are not done swinging their weight around. These state supreme court races will be crucial in shaping how the people of our state weather the years ahead.
A pair of insidious initiatives will be on the ballot this fall: I-001 and I-638, both courtesy of Brian Heywood. First up is I-638, which would require girls (but not boys!) to undergo genital inspection to play sports at school. The second, I-001 risks removing protections for children in abusive homes, and would all but require teachers, nurses, and others, to out students to their caretakers. These initiatives must be defeated.
Over in the 12th Legislative District, Democrat Stacy Willoughby has real shot at flipping an important seat. She’s served on her chamber of commerce board and knows how to listen. She’s facing a well-funded, extreme-right MAGA opponent. This seat is ready to flip and the people of LD12 are ready for change, but candidate Willoughby will need help to become that change.

Of course, these aren’t the only races that could use your help. Our endorsements are the result of scores of interviews with, and discussions about, candidates at every level. We hope you’ll find a race local to you and help them out.

But there’s more going on than campaigning. Here are some events we think you ought to know about:

The Bend it Like Booker event takes place from Sept. 12th through the 13th and will feature 25 continuous hours of speakers, artists, and more sharing hope, information, strategy, stories, and community. Over 35 people have offered to present, including Senator Corey Booker himself, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Governor Bob Ferguson, and many more. Check it out here!
Women Leading the Future is a virtual panel taking place on September 10th at 6pm, offering insights from several women leading policy and civic engagement in our state. Hosted by LD1, you’ll hear from Seattle mayor Katie Wilson, Redmond mayor Angela Birney, WA Dems chair Shasti Conrad, Congresswoman Susan DelBene, and more. Register here!
Learn How AI Tools Can Improve LD Operations is a workshop we’re putting together, taking place on Sept 10th from 6:30 to 8pm over Zoom. We’ll discuss using productivity AI tools to streamline organization, including policy and candidate research, bylaw and rules reviews, and branding. We know AI can be a touchy subject, but there are a number of ways to use it well (especially as there are only so many volunteer hours to go around). Sign up to attend here!

There’s lots to do, and lots going on.

Get Involved

Strategize

Stay Informed

Now is the time. This is the election. Let’s get this done.

Kristopher Katz, Vice Chair for Communications
King County Democrats

P.S. Previous newsletters and other messages from us can be found here.

Paid for by King County Democrats, PO Box 9100, Seattle, WA 98109

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