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Our Voter’s Guide will be updated every issue right up to the midterm November General Election. Remember…voting is the most important thing you can do to fight injustice and save democracy. Get out and vote. Get your family, friends, and neighbors out to vote.
As Thomas Jefferson said, “We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.”
Election Day was August 4.
Election Day is November 3.
- October 18: Ballot drop boxes open. Ballots and voter pamphlets mailed.
- October 26: Last day to register or update voter information (online or by mail).
- October 28: SCI recommends that you do not mail your voted ballot after this date. Instead, take your ballot to a ballot drop box, or take it to the post office service counter and watch them postmark it in front of you.
- November 3: Election Day!
– Last day to register or update voter information (in person only).
– Return your voted ballot to a ballot drop box before 8:00 p.m.
- November 24: Election Certification (County Canvassing Board certifies county election results).
SCI Endorsements Our endorsement decisions were made after careful review of candidate questionnaires, qualifications, experience, records, and alignment with SCI’s values and priorities. We are proud to support these candidates and encourage our members to learn more about their campaigns, share their information, volunteer when possible, and, most importantly…vote! Register to Vote or Update Registration If you, your kids, or your grandkids will be at least 18 years old by Election Day, November 4 — they can vote! Make it a family affair and vote together. More on Voting in Snohomish County
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“The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by human beings for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison people because they are different from others.”
– Lyndon B. Johnson
36th President of the United States
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If you voted, here is your sticker! This “I Voted” sticker gives a nod to Snohomish County’s rich aviation history and agricultural roots. See all seven of this year’s sticker designs online, or visit the Auditor's Office in person to grab a physical one for your lapel.
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Refuse Fascism Fridays —
Americans Against Oligarchy!
Fridays from 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Join us for sign waving at locations throughout Snohomish County: Everett, Mukilteo, Lynnwood, Mill Creek, Marysville, Snohomish, Arlington. Unofficial locations: Tulalip, Lake Stevens, Stanwood, Smokey Point.
> See Locations
Weekly Warm-up Sign Waving
Mondays from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Historic Soapbox Corner (Hewitt & Wetmore Avenues) in downtown Everett.
Join a small but mighty group with signs, flags, and music near the Snohomish County Republican Party office.
Sunday, August 9: Connection Meeting
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Snohomish County PUD, 2320 California St, Everett
Social time with snacks 2:30 – 3:00 pm, with the meeting beginning at 3.
Wednesday, August 19: Data Center Public Hearing
10:30 am
Drewel Building, 8th floor, Jackson Board Room
3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett
Sunday, August 23: Climate and Environmental Advocacy Team Meeting
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Snohomish County PUD, 2320 California St, Everett
Sunday, August 23: General Meeting
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Snohomish County PUD, 2320 California St, Everett
Social time with snacks 2:30 – 3:00 pm, with the meeting beginning at 3.
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Emily Walker and her husband discuss their favorite local endorsements with their son, who voted for the first time in the August primary. In Washington State, 17-year-olds can vote in primary elections if they will turn 18 before the general election.
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| You voted your August Primary ballot. Now what happens? |
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Election integrity and security are important to us all. As we wait for official election results, here's what Snohomish County is doing next to ensure accuracy in vote counting:
 August 10: Random Compliance Check. A random selection of mismatched ballot signatures is reviewed using a statistical sampling method to verify accuracy in the signature verification process.- August 11: Random Ballot Audit. Before election results are certified, a sample of ballots is reviewed to provide statistical evidence that the machine-counted results match the ballots cast. Voted, counted ballots are selected at random, and the votes on those ballots are manually examined to ensure that the machine-counted votes match for those ballots.
- August 17: Review. The County Canvassing Board meets to review any ballots in question.
- August 18: Certification. The County Canvassing Board meets to certify results.
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| July 26 Meeting: Fighting Christian Nationalist Takeover of Public Schools |
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 The SCI July 26 meeting featured an engaging speaker from Respect Public Schools (RPS), a group of “concerned parents and guardians, clergy, and community members who firmly believe in the separation of church and state for public schools.”
Jennifer Phillips McLellan shared information about the national movement to implement Release Time for Religious Instruction (RTRI) in our public schools. This movement is pulling students out of schools for religious instruction during their school day. One of the key players in RTRI is Lifewise Academy, an organization with roots in the Southern Baptist Convention and ties to Moms for Liberty and Project 2025, according to McLellan.
While there are frameworks that legally permit RTRI in schools, there are important restrictions that must be followed, such as: it must not remove students from their core classes, be held off school grounds, be opt-in only, and not access public school funds.
As a conservative Christian organization with restrictive beliefs about religious faith, Lifewise Academy does not follow the very DEI policies that are required within the school districts where they operate. While parents must choose to participate in RTRI, there are many negative social and emotional ramifications for elementary-aged students.
Respect Public Schools is focused on legislative and public outreach to help people understand the impact of these programs and the organization that promotes them. McLellan issued a call to action to the membership of Snohomish County Indivisible, asking for people to join Respect Public Schools and become another voice to advocate for the separation of church and state within our public schools.
More information can be found at:
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New Member Focus
Name: Amanda Reason for joining SCI: She recently moved to the area and wants to get involved. Expectations: She’s familiar with the national Indivisible organization and was excited to see what happens locally. Reaction to her first meeting: Amanda felt that the meeting was a valuable use of her time. She enjoyed learning about an issue and how she might choose to act in response to that issue. She was glad she came, and will return when her schedule allows.
Welcome Amanda!
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| Good Trouble Lives on at July 18 Rally! |
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| The July 18 Good Trouble Lives On rally in Lynnwood attracted more than 50 folks — some there to support voting rights in honor of Congressman John Lewis and others part of the ongoing Tesla Takedown rally that has been fighting the good fight since March 2025.
The theme of the day was fun, according to Laura, the current Tesla Takedown organizer. She coordinates the flowers, baked goods, music, and hot or cold drinks (depending on the season!) at each event held on Tuesdays from 4:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 2 p.m. near Tesla Lynnwood on Pacific Highway. Laura says, “I want to make it fun. I know they want us exhausted and going home, but I’m stubborn…if that’s what they want, I won’t let them control me. Friendships and fun help us keep going!” |
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Clockwise from top left: Rally-goers picketing along Pacific Hwy with signs and song. Participants enjoying the cold drinks and baked goodies available at every Tesla rally (note the Elon Musk Nazi table decoration!). Bill Alexander, who helped organized the first rallies at the Lynnwood Tesla Dealer, the second largest in the state. Cass Roy with an inspiring GOTV sign.
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| Community, Camaraderie, and Comic Relief at Connection Meeting! |
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Approximately 25 people gathered on July 12 at the Snohomish PUD in Everett to share information about SCI activities and get a healthy dose of comic relief while working on Get Out the Vote (GOTV) activities. During the Connection meeting, they:
- Created colorful GOTV signs for Good Trouble Lives On: Weekend of Action event July 17 through 19.
- Folded 400 “Our Vote is Our Power” nonpartisan zines — a guide to the Washington State primary election on August 4 — to drop at sites including libraries, local businesses, and community notice boards.
- Discussed big-picture issues around GOTV and impacts of the political environment on personal relationships. Common refrains of non-voters include: “My vote doesn’t count” and “I don’t have time to pay attention to politics.” Explaining the consequences of local voting issues, e.g., your local library hours will decrease if the library levy fails or your local school board makes important decisions about your child’s school experience, are some ideas to counter these beliefs and encourage people to vote. Participants talked about ways they manage political differences within families and among friends.
ACTIONS:
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| NSCI Meeting Highlighted by Lightworkers |
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| NSCI held an energetic meeting on July 25 with its biggest crowd this summer coming together to discuss local stories and watch a very special documentary. Long-time friend of the group, Jason Gerlach of Fuerza Washington Mutual Aid, kicked off the meeting by sharing the tragic stories of local immigrant families that he and his group have helped.
Discussion then moved to the recent data center moratoriums passed by both Marysville and Snohomish County, stressing the need for residents to make their voices heard at the next city council meeting.
Lastly, the group watched Lightworkers, a documentary sharing viewpoints from a diverse cast of activists. Members of the NSCI group, like Joe Beck, said they were really inspired by the movie and felt motivated by the other activists portrayed. Another member had already seen the movie at the Everett showing, but said it was very important to share it with as many people as possible.
One favorite quote from the movie was from actor Henry Winkler: “Like the toy that goes back to center when you hit it, we may go down, but we get back up. We go down, but we don't stop moving forward.” |
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| Candidate Endorsement: Strom Peterson |
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 It is often difficult to pin down exactly why a person becomes a “liberal” or a “conservative.” For Strom Peterson, a Washington State representative from the 21st District and a member of the Snohomish County Council, the impetus comes from his mother, originally a Republican who over the years of Strom's childhood became a progressive Democrat.
Storm has carried those liberal leanings into his adult political life. He has found that people are becoming increasingly aware of how their voices can be more easily heard regarding local issues than on national matters.
Peterson sees the citizens of the state, and more specifically Snohomish County, bonding together as a “political collective” to seek better lives for everyone. Seemingly overshadowed by the loud and often angry voices emanating from national politics, fixing local problems can be the best way to get meaningful, and necessary, changes locally and eventually on the national level. But, changes at the local level are not always easy, especially, Strom points out, in this era of “Trumpism.”
The often-substantial budget cuts coming from Washington D.C. these days make it difficult for local governments to properly fund vital people-oriented programs. And he points out how the lack of meaningful bipartisan negotiations makes solving local problems even more difficult. Compounding those difficulties is the often-odious influence of “big money” into politics at all levels. Strom sees that big dollar influence as something that is very quickly becoming “harmful” to the American political system of governing.
When asked about his future political plans and aspirations, Peterson says he is very content with his life as is. Maybe something might arise for him in the years to come but for now he loves his life helping make the lives of his fellow Americans in Snohomish County better in every way possible.
ACTION:
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| SCI Volunteer Spotlight: Bill Sheets is Following His Passion |
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 During his 30 plus years as a newspaper reporter, many of which were spent covering local politics, Bill Sheets remained publicly neutral on political issues. His role was serving the public through reporting. It was, however, his interest in politics and world issues and a college major in political science that drew him to newspaper work. Now as a member of the SCI Climate and Environment Advocacy Team, Bill examines current topics and helps to present issues and findings at SCI meetings. “It’s important to keep the environment on people’s radar when there are so many other fires to be put out — inflation, immigration, etc.”
Bill likes direct action, the hands-on work, the “out-on-the-streets” work of political activism. He’s joined many SCI rallies, sign waving events, and No Kings marches; he’s advocated for his positions to politicians. He likes working with SCI members whom he characterizes as “good people trying to do good things.” Bill is also a Precinct Committee Officer for the 38th Legislative District Democrats.
Looking to get involved in SCI? Bill’s advice: “Follow your passion. Pick an issue. Decide what kind of work you want to do — out in public or behind the scenes.” He prefers the latter, but sometimes he ventures outside his comfort zone to doorbell. Bill’s number one issue is the environment, “standing up for the natural world.”
ACTION: Volunteer for sign-waving, join an advocacy group, write postcards. All skills are welcome and needed for occasional or ongoing SCI activism. |
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| LGBTQ+ Advocacy Group Report: Protecting Our Public Schools |
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One of the LGBTQIA+ Advocacy Team's top priorities this year is supporting Respect Public Schools WA, a statewide coalition working to keep religious instruction separate from our public schools. We are particularly concerned about organizations that have opposed LGBTQIA+ inclusion and seek greater influence within public education.
Earlier this year, LifeWise Academy gained permission to operate in the Everett School District, shuttling children, as young as five years old, offsite during the lunch hour for bible instruction. Team members are developing educational materials, meeting with community partners, and preparing outreach to school districts across Washington to raise awareness about LifeWise Academy and similar efforts.
Our goal is simple: Through collaboration, education, and respectful civic engagement, we're helping ensure that Washington's public schools remain welcoming, inclusive, and focused on serving EVERY student.
ACTION:
Learn how LifeWise Academy is accelerating their mission to operate in EVERY school district in the nation (Everett is just the first in Washington.) and how we can push back on its attempt at circumventing the First Amendment. Help us spread the word to our communities. For further information:
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| SCI Volunteers: Saving Democracy with Postcards |
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 Person-to-person messages are powerful motivators for turning out votes. Two efforts in Snohomish County have been wildly successful, resulting in wins across the country this year. In addition, Suzanne Daniels, leader of the NSCI postcard group, says, “Statistics do not begin to measure the friendships gained and generosity and time given by volunteers!” |
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| Reclaim Our Vote: Postcarding at Home
Number of Volunteers: 42 writers (six of which are organizing parties of from two to ten additional writers).
Postcards Completed: 4,300 postcards completed for the Reclaim Our Vote campaign.
Postcards Still Available for Volunteers: 2,000 cards are available and there are MANY left. Requests will be fulfilled through the end of August.  For more information, watch the short introduction video and request postcards: POSTCARD SIGNUP |
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| Progressive Turnout Project: Working with NSCI
Postage Donated: January through June: 4,500 stamps were supplied by volunteers' donations of stamps and cash ($2,745). June through July: Generous volunteers donated stamps and cash totaling approximately $1,830 (approximation as the cost of stamps went up $.04 each during the last half of this period).
 Postcards Completed, June through July: 3,000 cards completed for the Get Out the Vote campaign. |
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| Candidate Forum: Julio Cortes |
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| Want to Help Mother Earth? Join the SCI Climate and Environment Advocacy Team. |
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Interested in learning how to lessen your environmental impact while increasing your pro-earth legislative impact? Consider joining the Snohomish County Indivisible Climate and Environment Advocacy Team. It’s easy to do, and it will help our planet thrive for future generations.
The SCI Climate and Environment Advocacy Team is committed to helping all of us live more sustainably through our daily decisions and actions. These dedicated activists are reaching out to the general membership and asking interested members to join them in an effort to increase their impact.
Their meetings revolve around two basic ideas: educate and activate. Members share their knowledge of how to lessen our impact on the planet, and then plan informed actions to make the world better. They are a friendly and welcoming crew of passionate environmentalists seeking new team members from all backgrounds and experiences.
ACTION:
Help make the world better…join the SCI Climate and Environment Advocacy Team. They meet every fourth Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. prior to the SCI general meeting. |
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| Lianne Shea, leader of the SCI Climate and Environment Advocacy Team |
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| Environmental Tip of the Month: Combat Climate Change…Turn Off Your Engine! |
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 Have you ever seen someone sit in their car in a parking lot and let the engine run, often for several minutes or more?
“Idling” releases harmful pollutants into the air, wasting money and gas while going nowhere. “Unnecessary idling of cars, trucks, and school buses pollutes the air, wastes fuel, and causes excess engine wear,” an EPA webpage states.
Have you wondered why people do this? If so, you're not alone.
Reducing or eliminating car engine idling is the low-hanging fruit of action to fight climate change. It's something we can easily do.
Idling brings no benefits, only costs, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (yes, even Trump's EPA) and multiple other sources.
Unlike what you may have learned with your first car, modern vehicles don't need to be warmed up in cold weather. Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel and produces more emissions than stopping and restarting your engine, according to one source.
An hour's worth of idling releases nearly 11 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air. While most people aren't running their engines for that long at a time, many doing it for a minute or two here and there surely adds up.
While fighting climate change is a big job, turning off our engines is an easy way to help.
But it's sooo hot outside, and I need some time in the air conditioning!
 The hottest days of summer are more than just uncomfortable — they can be deadly to vulnerable populations. In a region where many homes and workplaces don’t have air conditioning, or if you work outdoors, taking a cool drive in the car can feel like a lifeline. If you often rely on your car’s A/C to stay cool in a heat wave, read on for some tips to lessen your environmental impact while staying safe:
- Drink lots of water. Dehydration is usually a factor in heat stroke.
- When at home, place fans strategically to harness Puget Sound sea breeze directions with these tips from MyNorthwest. Cover all windows that receive late morning or afternoon sun.
- Consider a shorter drive to an air-conditioned place rather than a long drive. Snohomish County has public cooling centers at public libraries and senior centers (with other resources listed for local extreme heat). Nearby coffee shops have cold drinks and Wi-Fi access. Your neighborhood grocery store is air-conditioned and may have seating near the deli or pharmacy.
- If you must use your running car to get cool, just park and let the car idle. That reduces carbon emissions by 75 to 80 percent compared to driving aimlessly. To further reduce emissions, park in the shade.
- Never leave pets, babies, or vulnerable adults unattended in a car on a hot day.
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Get the Facts!
Don’t be fooled by questionable sources. The Media Bias Fact Check allows you to search and learn the bias of news media using a database of more than 9,000 trusted media sources, journalists, and politicians. |
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CREDITS Many thanks to the talented volunteers without whom this newsletter would not exist!
Editor: Betsy Case | Writers: Gwen Campbell, Nathan Finley, Jarucia Jaycox Nirula, Natalie Raines, Brian Saulsman, Bill Sheets, and Richard Swanson. | Technical assistance: Cass Roy | Production: Emily Walker | Graphic designer: Katrina Lyon
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SUBMIT A STORY IDEA
Do you have a great story idea or know a volunteer who deserves recognition? This is your newsletter — let us know what you want to read about!
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MISSION STATEMENT As part of a national grassroots movement of Indivisible groups, we are dedicated to electing progressive leaders who embody our values and work toward the passage of legislation that reflects those principles. As a nonpartisan organization, we are committed to building and strengthening partnerships with like-minded activist groups across Snohomish County that reflect our shared values.
We advocate for the implementation of bold progressive policies, striving to ensure a strong democracy. We achieve this by organizing efforts to amplify our voices to elected officials, ensuring that our democracy is free from local and national policies or legislation that marginalizes the vulnerable and undermines our health and well-being. We are committed to promoting equality, fairness, and justice for all through education and activism.
Revised Voted and Adopted: August 2025
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| To help us win! |
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