• About this Guide
• Voting Information (vote.wa.gov)

About This Guide

The following groups have partnered together and combined their endorsements in this guide:

The Progressive Voters Guide is a project of Fuse Washington, Equal Rights Washington, League of Education Voters, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, Planned Parenthood Votes! Washington, Progressive Majority Washington, SEIU Local 925, SEIU Healthcare 775, SEIU Healthcare 1199, Sierra Club, Stand for Children, UFCW Local 21, Washington Bus, Washington CAN, Washington CeaseFire, Washington Conservation Voters, Washington NOW, and the Washington Women's Political Caucus.

These statewide organizations are committed to ensuing real progress in Washington by advocating for affordable, high-quality, health care for all, building an education system that is the best in the world, fostering a cleaner, safer environment, establishing better wages, benefits and working conditions for Washingtonians, protecting civil rights, eliminating discrimination and creating true security for the state’s most vulnerable.

About Partner Organizations

• Equal Rights Washington
  

  Equal Rights Washington is the state's leading advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights. ERW's mission is to ensure and promote dignity, safety and equality for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Washington Citizens.

  Equal Rights Washington candidate endorsements are based on past voting records, candidate interviews, and other available information, including public statements of candidates. ERW is nonpartisan.

  For this voter's guide ERW evaluated candidates, in the Governors Race, Secretary of State, Supreme Court and the vast majority of state legislative races. We only evaluated ballot measures I-1,000, I-1029 and King County Charter Change Amendment 2.

• Fuse
  Fuse is a state-based online advocacy group working to provide a cutting edge online organizing and communications hub for Washington State. Fuse is focused primarily on securing major advances in progressive public policy for Washington State. Fuse is bringing people like you together to make our state more progressive. Fuse offers busy but concerned people fast, easy and fun ways to make your voice and values heard and make a difference. We will offer a steady diet of hopeful opportunities to help build a better future, and a very efficient and effective way to make a real difference on the full range of progressive causes people care about – the environment, economic and social justice, education, civil liberties, and others.
• League of Education Voters
  The League of Education Voters (LEV) is a grassroots, statewide network of advocates working to hold lawmakers accountable for responsible education policy and adequate funding in Washington State. LEV lobbies at the state level. Our goal is an active public that shapes and promotes legislative action. LEV made endorsements in the governor’s race, competitive legislative races, and ballot measure I-985. We also endorsed incumbents who made special contributions to early learning, K-12 public schools, workforce training and post-secondary education in the last two years.
• NARAL Pro-Choice Washington
  NARAL Pro-Choice Washington strives to elect pro-choice officials to secure, protect and strengthen reproductive freedom and choice. As a non-partisan organization we endorse candidates based solely on their support for a wide range of reproductive healthcare issues. Our endorsement process includes a candidate questionnaire followed by a personal interview between the candidate our PAC committee.
• National Organization for Women - Washington Chapter
  
• National Women's Political Caucus of Washington
  The NWPC is a multi-partisan grassroots membership organization dedicated to increasing the number of women in elected and appointed office at all levels of government. Our mission is to identify, mentor, educate and support women leaders in our community who demonstrate a commitment to Reproductive Freedom and Women's Economic and Social Equality. The NWPC endorses women candidates statewide. Initiatives are sometimes considered if they are strongly relevant to the mission of the organization. Candidates who wish to be endorsed by the NWPC are asked to submit a questionnaire and attend an interview. The endorsement committee makes endorsement recommendations to the State Board and/or the local organization membership based on the candidates interview and questionnaire responses, position on the issues of importance to the Caucus, viability, and past record where applicable.
• Planned Parenthood
  The assault on reproductive rights is taking place everywhere from Washington DC to your local pharmacy. From policy to politics, Planned Parenthood Votes! Washington is a forceful advocate for your right to basic health care and reproductive freedom.

  Planned Parenthood Votes! Washington candidate endorsements are based on incumbent voting records, candidate questionnaires, interviews, and other available information. Candidates considered for endorsement by PPVW include candidates for: Governor, Supreme Court, Superior Court (on a case by case basis), all state legislative seats, and King County Charter Amendment #2.

• Progressive Majority
  Progressive Majority's mission is to elect progressive champions. We accomplish this by identifying and recruiting the best progressive leaders to run for office; coaching and supporting their candidacies by providing strategic message, campaign, and technical support; prioritizing the recruitment and election of candidates of color; and bringing new people into the political process at all levels.
• SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW
  SEIU Healthcare 1199NW represents more than 22,000 nurses, healthcare employees, and mental health workers in hospitals, agencies, and clinics statewide. Recommendations from SEIU Healthcare 1199NW are based on candidate interviews, questionnaires, and voting records.
• SEIU Healthcare 775 NW
  SEIU Healthcare 775NW represents 35,000 long-term care workers throughout Washington State. Our mission is to unite the strength of long-term care workers, improve the lives of working people and lead the way to a more just and humane world. We are a bi-partisan organization and endorse candidates based on their records and positions on issues important to long-term care workers, seniors, and people with disabilities.
• SEIU Local 925
  SEIU Local 925 unites 23,000 education and public service workers—notably child care, university, and school district staff—across Washington. Our statewide Member Political Organizing Committee reviews the records of legislators and interviews candidates to recommend the election of officials who will best support working families.
• Sierra Club
  
• Stand for Children
  
• UFCW Local 21
  UFCW 21 is the largest private sector local union in the state with over 30,000 members working in grocery, retail and health care jobs. UFCW Local 21 is member-based and member-led. Local 21 is building a movement for the 21st century through organizing larger union membership and partnering with others in the community. Our key issues in the 2008 elections focus around worker rights and wages and health care reform. We have endorsed Chris Gregoire for Governor and that race is the key focus of Local 21. Additionally, we have made endorsements in 40 legislative races and several other statewide and/or local elections. Local 21 is a non-partisan organization and has based our endorsement decisions on essentially two criteria: voting records; and, responses to in-person interviews and written questionnaires. A lack of response to questionnaires is often a reason for a non-endorsement.
• Washington Bus
  The Washington Bus energizes young people to assert their political power.The Bus develops, supports and elects forward-thinking leaders. The Washington Bus: of young people, by young people, for all people.

  The Washington Bus supports forward-thinking candidates who champion issues young people care about.

• Washington CAN
  The mission of Washington CAN! is to achieve economic fairness in order to establish a democratic society characterized by racial and social justice, with respect for diversity, and a decent quality of life for those who reside in Washington State.
• Washington CeaseFire
  Washington CeaseFire is dedicated to reducing gun violence in Washington State through research, education, and advocacy. Sensible gun laws create safer communities.
• Washington Conservation Voters
  Washington Conservation Voters is the statewide political voice for the environment. We work to elect environmentally responsible candidates to state and local offices. Working with our allies in the community, we advocate for strong environmental policies and hold our elected officials accountable during the legislative session. Through our political work we are strengthening laws that safeguard the health of our communities, the beauty of our state and our economic future. Each year, Washington Conservation Voters supports pro-environment candidates during the election season. Working with our chapter network we are able to support over 100 candidates each cycle at the state and local level.