Area voters invited to participate for a free educational look at ballot measures, their history, and how they come to be up for a vote
The Clark County chapter of the League of Women Voters will hold a 90-minute webinar to inform voters about a referendum, a constitutional amendment, and four advisory measures on the November ballot.
Organizers invite area voters to join the League of Women Voters of Clark County from 6:30-8 p.m. on Tue., Sept. 22, for a free educational look at ballot measures, their history, and how they come to be up for a vote. The workshop will give a brief overview of the measures on the Nov. 3 ballot and direct voters where to find more details about them.
“Our focus for the event is on nonpartisan education for voters, so we will not be going over the pros and cons of any particular measure, said Judy Zeider, the Civics Education Committee chair for League of Women Voters of Clark County. “Our program will focus on how a measure on the Washington ballot – whether an initiative, referendum, advisory vote, or constitutional amendment – goes from a person saying ‘there ought to be a law about such-and-such’ or ‘such-and-such shouldn’t be the law’ to a ballot measure actually going to the people for a vote.
“We’ll also focus on how – using the measures on this particular ballot and others as examples – voters can learn for themselves about various measures, starting with the voters’ pamphlet and going from there,’’ Zeider said.
Here are a pair of issues on the ballot before voters in the November general election:
Washington Referendum 90, Sex Education in Public Schools Measure is the referendum
The Washington State Legislature passed and the governor signed Senate Bill 5395 (SB 5395) in March 2020. Opponents of the bill collected signatures to place SB 5395 on the ballot as Referendum 90 and are advocating for a reject vote on the referendum. A vote to reject this referendum would repeal Senate Bill 5395, which was designed to require comprehensive sexual health education in public schools. A vote to approve the referendum would allow SB 5395 to go into effect. The bill is on hold pending the result of the election.
Clark County residents were particularly active in the effort to get R-90 on the ballot. Jennifer Heine-Withee and Dawn Seaver led signature gathering efforts and have created a social media page to educate citizens (SW Washington, Parents’ Rights In Education).
“It is important that voters listen to both sides in regards to R-90,” stated Jennifer Heine-Withee. “This law was requested by the OSPI therefore the information coming from the superintendent’s office is one sided. It also has the backing of Planned Parenthood who called it ‘their bill.’ Voters need to know the ramifications of R-90 and then vote to reject it.”
Washington Authorize Fund Investment of Family Medical Leave and Long-Term Care Accounts Amendment
The Washington Authorize Fund Investment of Family Medical Leave and Long-Term Care Accounts Amendment is on the ballot in Washington as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment.
A “yes” vote supports allowing the Washington Legislature to invest the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Account and the Long-Term Care Services and Supports Trust Account into stocks or other methods of investment.
A “no” vote opposes allowing the Washington Legislature to invest the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Account and the Long-Term Care Services and Supports Trust Account into stocks or other methods of investment, thereby limiting the methods of investment for the accounts to government and corporate bonds and certificates of deposit.
The measure was passed by the legislature and certified for the ballot on March 6, 2020.
Details of webinar
The presentation, offered with the Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries system, will be made available over videoconferencing – or Zoom – because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
For more information, contact the League of Women Voters of Clark County at lwvclarkcounty@gmail.com or the library at (360) 906-5000.
