News / Articles

Coffee with the League
April 6, Monday, 9-10:30 a.m., Garden Room at Latte Da Coffeehouse & Wine Bar, 205 E 39th St., Vancouver
Registration recommended

LWVCC Member Meeting
April 11, Saturday, 10 a.m.-noon, CDM Caregiving Services, 2300 NE Andresen Rd., Vancouver & Zoom
Volunteers are needed (Members only - login required).

LWVCC Member Orientation (zoom)
April 13, Monday, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Registration recommended (Members only - login required).

Coffee with the League
May 4, Monday, 9-10:30 a.m., Garden Room at Latte Da Coffeehouse & Wine Bar, 205 E 39th St., Vancouver
Registration recommended

LWVCC Annual Meeting
May 16, Saturday, 10 a.m.-noon, CDM Caregiving Services, 2300 NE Andresen Rd., Vancouver & Zoom

Multicultural Resource Fair
May 30, Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Hudson's Bay High School, 1601 E McLoughlin Blvd., Vancouver
Volunteers are needed (Members only - login required).

LWVWA State Council
June 5-7, Friday-Sunday, South Puget Sound College, Lacey

No Kings rally
June 14, Sunday, Waterfront Park, Vancouver

LWVUS National Convention
June 25-28, Thursday-Sunday, Columbus, OH. More information here.

Call for new board members!

We will be electing a new Board of Directors on May 16 at our Annual Meeting. Would you like to be involved in steering our program plan for the next year or two?

Our board is made up of four officers, six elected directors and six appointed directors. Elected directors serve two-year terms and appointed directors serve one-year terms.

Contact the nominating committee to learn more.

April Member Meeting
to Focus on Candidate Forums

The League’s Forum Committee will share this year’s plans at the April 11 membership meeting. We’ll talk about how we approach our forums, brainstorm topics to ask candidates about, and explain how to volunteer for this important committee. Please join us!

Please join us for the Annual Meeting on May 16

The Clark County League has grown since our last Annual Meeting in May 2025. Last May we had 164 members. Today we have over 190 members. Many new members have shared that they joined the League to work on advocating for democracy, and you are in good company.

At our Annual Meeting, we will celebrate the work we have accomplished over the past year, including voter registration tabling, civics education, participating in community events, showing up for rallies and marches, and hosting valuable candidate forums. We also recognize opportunities to connect outside of membership meetings including our annual picnic, monthly Coffee with the League gatherings and virtual member orientations.

We also will vote on several important matters that will keep our League operating over the next fiscal year. Ahead of the meeting, members will receive an email that includes links to documents for your review and consideration to prepare for the meeting. Look for this email on April 16. All the documents also will be featured on the home page of our member website (you will need to log in to see them).

We will have a potluck brunch and a guest speaker – you won’t want to miss it!

CITIZEN 411 Interviews Health Officer Melnick

Citizen 411 hosts Teresa, Tracy, and Rachel at KXRW studios

In April, Tracy, Teresa and Rachel will interview Dr. Alan Melnick, the Clark County health officer. Public health involves disease prevention, healthy lifestyles, and environmental safety through the lens of equity. Through education, policymaking and research, Melnick looks out for the health of our whole community. Learn how he is dealing with challenges to vaccinations under the current U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Find the podast here. 

Dr. Alan Melnick

Join Washington’s Version of America 250

It’s a great year for representative democracy as we celebrate 250 years since our founding document, the Declaration of Independence, rang out our liberty for all. There will be events all over Washington this year. Our statewide effort is different from what is coming out from the White House. One of the four national dates selected is in our wheelhouse: Sept. 17, Constitution Day – a day of civic engagement. Are you interested in doing some fun event planning? We need you! Please contact League historian Tracy Reilly Kelly. 

LWVCC Observer Corps
Keeps Tabs on Government

Wondering what our elected officials are up to? You can stay up to date by reading the Observer Corps reports on the LWVCC website under “Blogs.”

Here are a few highlights from the past month:

• The Clark County Charter Commission finally got down to work after three exhausting weeks of editing the bylaws. The commissioners have identified the areas where they want to amend the County Charter – check out the blog for details.
• Gov. Bob Ferguson still must sign it, but the Legislature’s passage of SB5820 essentially halts industrial development along the Clark County Railroad. This is a terrific example of citizens seeing a need, organizing, lobbying their legislators, and getting the word out to the county.
• This legislation also may affect the work of the Railroad Advisory Board; however, it is moving forward with a series of presentations to educate the public on our local access railroad.
• With the resignation of the Evergreen School Board president, it is important to keep our attention on this impactful school district.
• The same focus also is trained on the Fort Vancouver Library Board of Trustees. With several regional libraries expressing “no confidence” in the board – what future changes might we see?
• The Comprehensive Land Use Plan Update is wrapping up in most areas of Clark County. The City of Vancouver looks to be on track to meet the deadline. Will the county? Stay tuned!

“She Did That!” event draws a crowd

Paul Porter talks about Minnie Porter, NAACP

A crowd of 119 people filled the Clark County Historical Museum on Friday for an evening of fun, food and stories about, and from, inspirational women.

The Clark County League sponsored “She Did That!” – a Women’s History Month event and part of Downtown Vancouver’s First Friday series.

LWVWA President, Karen Crowley

Washington state League President Karen Crowley delivered the keynote speech, urging attendees to be bold in defending democracy. Other speakers told stories about local heroines from the NAACP’s Minnie Porter to the Chinook Nation’s Ch’ist and Women of Fort Vancouver. A LULAC spokesman talked about local efforts to assist immigrants with legal and housing assistance.

Sam Robinson, Chinook Nation

Hector Hinojosa, LULAC

A reprise of the “Match Game” from the 1970s, featuring famous women from that era, brought an entertaining cap to the evening.

The League provided “Resist Threats to Democracy” resources, a Spin the Wheel game, live music and tamales, chips and salsa.

Doug Wilson discusses Women of Fort Vancouver

League historian, Tracy Reilly Kelly

In her speech, Crowley urged the audience to take action to counter the daily threats to democracy.

“By demanding federal intervention in state and local elections, the Trump administration is working overtime to create intimidation, chaos and confusion,” she said.

“We need to be bold. We need to name names, call out actors who are behaving in ways that are supremely against our principles. We need to be loud. We need to be visible and unapologetic when speaking truth to power.”

Crowley pointed to the SAVE America Act, a bill pending in Congress that would require proof of citizenship for people registering to vote, and similar efforts in Washington state. She noted that it’s already illegal for non-citizens to vote, adding that many studies show that a “staggeringly small” number of undocumented immigrants cast ballots.

“These bills are not about election security. They are about restricting access to the ballot and deciding who gets to participate in our democracy,” Crowley said.

She urged the crowd to get involved by joining an organization, attending city council and school board meetings, observing local elections – and most importantly, voting.

“Every day there’s another threat, another challenge. So we need to be nimble … and we need to be working in coalition with allies and partners who are doing this work together,” Crowley said.

Mayor reads League proclamation
for Women’s History Month

Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle read the League’s proclamation for Women’s History Month at the City Council’s March 16 meeting.

The mayor then presented the proclamation to League historian Tracy Reilly Kelly, who read a statement on behalf of the League.

“In this pivotal moment of history, we are called to confront a range of overlapping global challenges: climate change, economic insecurity, healthcare disparities, and threats to democratic participation,” Reilly Kelly said. “These issues are deeply intertwined – and women, particularly from marginalized communities, often experience their impacts most acutely. Yet women have also led the charge toward lasting solutions – and we promise to do so in 2026.”

You can read the proclamation on our website.

“You Can Run for Office” panelists
offer advice to potential candidates

panel & audience

The League’s second “You Can Run for Office” training drew more than 30 people to the Vancouver Community Library on March 8.

small group discussion

small group discussion

Potential candidates heard practical advice from panelists Mahsa Eshghi, Camas City Council member; Temple Lentz, Port of Vancouver commissioner; and Patrick Adigweme, Ann Donnelly and John Jay, Clark County Charter Review commissioners.

LWVUS Monthly Update

Since 1920, LWV has committed to empowering voters and defending democracy. Our efforts to support all eligible voters to be able to register and remain able to vote in all elections are as strong as ever. Here’s great information from LWVUS for everyone to gain a better understanding of the impacts of the SAVE America Act and defending democracy.

All members invited to attend
State Council in Lacey

All members are invited to attend the 2026 LWVWA Biennial Council June 6 and 7 at the South Puget Sound Community College's Lacey campus.

This year, registration fees are reduced for members who joined the League after June 2025! We can arrange carpools, lodging is close and affordable, and you can attend on Saturday only if you want.

New members can register at the discounted rate of $60, with regular registration $115 until May 15. There may be some financial aid available.

All in-person registrations include lunch, happy hour, and dinner on Saturday, as well as light snacks. Details are available on the registration form.

Clark County can send nine delegates, but if there is more interest, members also can attend as observers. If you want to be a delegate or observer, please contact Tracy Reilly Kelly.

Council is a place where members and leaders come together to learn, share, and shape the future of the League. The theme for this year’s Council – “The Power of Us” - reflects the multiple layers of the League:

• Our power as individual members and leaders to influence change in our communities.
• Our power to innovate boldly, integrating new practices into our work to empower voters and defend democracy.
• Our power in unity, standing strong in coalition with the many partners who share our vision.

Statewide book club coming in July