The aroma of coffee filled the sunlit Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship Church. Every fold-out table was taken and people held their warm drinks close as they listened to a presentation held early on the morning of Oct. 5 by the League of Women Voters of Washington. The organization supports civic engagement and education and shared their researched stance on four state initiatives.
With ballots and voter pamphlets released to the public on Oct. 16, constituents of Whatcom County are preparing for election day 2024, the presidential election just being one of the many on the ballot.
While voters prepare to receive their ballots, political organizations have long been working behind the scenes and on the front lines to ensure voters have the information they need to feel confident in their vote in this high-profile election.
Yet some voters feel that the resources available aren’t enough.
On Oct. 9, the League of Women Voters of Bellingham-Whatcom County held a candidate forum at Bellingham High School. Four candidates responded to questions from high school students and folks from the community.
Coral Carrillo, associate student body president at BHS said she learned about the event two weeks in advance and would not have otherwise known if her civics teacher hadn’t promoted it during class.
“I don’t think we have enough resources to reach our community,” she said.
In Washington, voter pamphlets and ballots are mailed to registered residents if their information is updated at the auditor’s office at 311 Grand Ave. Suite 103 in Bellingham. Stacy Henthorn, Whatcom County auditor, said it’s hard to miss an election if you live in Washington because of mail-in voting.
“[Washington residents] also have delivered to their mailbox, a local voters pamphlet for the August primary and the November general,” Henthorn said. “Not to mention the candidates themselves are sending out pamphlets.”
Amy Grasher, Whatcom County chief deputy auditor, believes it’s important to do extra work to learn about what’s on the ballot and how those issues affect the local community. Odd-year elections have a decrease in voter turnout, which is when local positions are on the ballot.
“So how different would our government look if more people were involved in voting?” Grasher said.
Organizations like the LWV work to increase civic involvement.
“I really appreciated them being nonpartisan and…taking their positions from studies that they’ve done,” Carol Smith, a member of the League, said. “They're pretty rigorous.”
Bellingham voters gather at the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship Church on Oct. 5 to learn about four initiatives promoted by the League of Women Voters. // Photo by Larson McDonagh
Eileen McCracken, the president of LWV of Bellingham-Whatcom County, said the most urgent action constituents can take is to confirm their address with voteWA.gov. The online voter registration and address verification deadline is Monday, Oct. 28.
In-person registration and information verification are held at the Whatcom County Courthouse and Civic Center until Nov. 5, but McCracken urges voters to complete registration early because the ballot is big this year. Understanding the initiatives and candidates may take some time.
“There are going to be a lot of races on the ballot, it’s worth telling people so they’re prepared for it,” McCracken said.
Smith says when confronting a large ballot, people should focus on what groups they’ve been involved in and the issues they care about the most.
Smith also talks to her community members to help her confidence in her vote. “We’re all blind in some ways,” she said. “Between a whole group of friends, you can find people who are well-versed in different areas.”
Cindy Madigan, the state chair of elections and money in politics of the LWV, also urges constituents to discuss the ballot with friends.
“I think democracy is very much a community activity,” Madigan said. “Involving other people in our research is a good way to maximize your resources with a minimal amount of time.”
Madigan advises people to start early but understands other obligations can put time constraints on learning about every issue on the ballot. She suggests people should still vote where they feel confident.
“I think it’s better to vote as much as you can on the ballot than to give up and not vote [on] anything,” Madigan said. “You are okay not to fill something in; your ballot will still count.”
McCracken suggests viewing the LWV forums. Their YouTube videos of moderated candidate questioning allow constituents to learn about the policies of candidates running for office in their area.
Voters can also sign up for text message notifications about their ballot through voteWA.gov. The website above can help with registration and researching your representatives. It also has detailed information about ballot measures and candidates.
When Nov. 5 rolls around, ballots must be dropped off at a ballot box or postmarked by 8 p.m. With the resources available in Whatcom County, residents can strengthen not only the confidence in their vote, but in their community.
Larson McDonagh (they/them) is a City News reporter for The Front this quarter. They are majoring in Environmental Journalism. They are the current President of Western’s Advanced Treble Chorale for which they’ve been involved for the past three years. Outside of school, they enjoy reading good books and cooking delicious meals. You can reach them at larsmcdonagh.thefront@gmail.com.
