December 2023 – Green Party of Washington

Earlier this month, anti-trans activist Riley Gaines publicly outed a transgender student, a minor, to her followers on Twitter/X. The student, who had verbally accepted a women’s volleyball scholarship to the UW (University of Washington) was harassed online by Riley Gaines, her followers, and the group ICONS, an anti-transgender group that attacks transgender girls and women in sports. Later that week, Riley Gaines posted on social media claiming that UW Volleyball had rescinded the scholarship.

The Green Party of Washington supports transgender people in all ways in society, sports included. If it is true that UW rescinded the scholarship, we call for an immediate reversal of this decision and an apology to the student. Otherwise, we believe this decision by the UW should be investigated as a Title IX violation against UW Volleyball.

It is apparent that Washingtonians and those who wish to come here must be protected from harassment and the prying eyes of states or individuals.

Just last week, transgender journalist Erin Reed broke news that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is demanding medical records from Seattle Children’s Hospital for all patients who live in Texas. Ken Paxton is also requesting medical instruction to stop transition care for those patients, making it transparent the intent to do harm. Wisely, Washington passed a “Shield Law” last year that prevents the sharing of protected medical records such as transition or abortion care to states that restrict that care, which has, at least for now, prevented the sharing of private medical information.

Looking back at the Riley Gaines social media posts against the student, Riley attacks that the student and her parents somehow “hid” her transgender status from the coach, school, teammates, and other kids’ parents. It is important to understand that transgender status is medical information and should, as all medical information, be protected; expecting children to share their private medical history with anyone who might care is a perverse violation of the right to privacy — a right that too clearly has been insufficiently protected.

So then, the Green Party of Washington also calls on legislators to address gaps in “malicious disclosure” of private medical information as a form of harassment that should not be protected speech. Such legislation prohibiting malicious disclosure would serve to protect all who live or come to Washington from an individual or organization sharing private medical information, to similar effect as the law that recently stopped Texas from being able to demand that information.

GPWA would like to run statewide candidates in 2024!

Are you someone who might be up to this task, either as a candidate or a campaign support volunteer?

–> Keep reading and if you see yourself as a potential candidate for any of these positions, please download and complete our Candidate Questionnaire so that we may consider supporting your campaign:

Word version | PDF version

Also, if you would like to volunteer to support a Green Party campaign, please let us know!

Content provided by Noah Martin, South Sound Greens

There are multiple statewide executive positions up for election in 2024. I have listed most of them here. I particularly believe that GPWA would benefit from running someone for Commissioner of Public Lands since it is a position that “fits” the Greens’ mission very well and the Democrats who often run are “Green capitalists” from King County who have little appeal in places where the Commissioner of Public Lands’ actions are felt the most like Eastern and Southwestern Washington. In addition, it has direct translatable experience for a race for a local conservation district, which is among the most winnable nonpartisan local races for Greens.

Benefits of running a statewide campaign

Supporting a statewide candidate has several benefits for the state party:

Raising key state-level issues that might not otherwise be mentioned in the race
Linking the party to those state-level issues and leveraging them to grow the party
“Filling out” the ballot so Greens are not just a top-heavy ticket with a presidential candidate, but are shown to have a real presence in the state
Building out GPWA’s statewide campaign infrastructure so it can better compete in local races
Researching policy positions, creating messaging, and collecting voter data that can be built on in follow-up local campaigns.
Allowing a candidate to build name recognition and a statewide fundraising network before running for local office

Offices up for Election in 2024

Due to limited capacity, GPWA may decide to focus on a single statewide office. However, several statewide offices can have a watershed effect on down-ballot races or leverage a particular issue.

Governor — This is the primary executive of Washington State, and it touches pretty much every state-level issue. This would be a particularly good position if someone wants to raise issues that have more to do with the legislature and/or the governor’s legislative priorities, or if there are issues that the Democratic administration needs to be pushed on.

Good qualifying professions: Administrative positions of various stripes, lawyers, workers… Almost any profession can make a case for Governor if the messaging is done right.

Possible Issues: Legislative dysfunction, dam removal, dirty energy, carbon fees, ecosocialism

Local Races that Benefit: Most of them, particularly legislative races

Superintendent of Public Instruction — The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction is one of the largest executive departments of Washington State and oversees the execution of education policy. Maintaining education is THE fundamental constitutional duty of the State of Washington, and our current legislators have been making a mess of it. Much of the game of chicken in the legislature every year is around the education budget, which means this position could be a great opportunity to discuss the budget, charter schools, curriculum, child poverty, and other pressing issues in WA.

Good qualifying professions: Teacher, school administrator, childcare worker, pediatrician, artist, school bus driver, and other professions that work directly with children

Possible Issues: Budget, charter schools, curriculum, education conditions, child poverty

Local Races that Benefit: School boards

Secretary of State — The Secretary of State’s primary role in WA is to oversee elections. This is a great position for people with election or administrative experience in general, especially in a high-paced environment.

Good qualifying professions: Election worker, campaign manager, programmer, auditor, public administrator

Possible Issues: Voting reform, election technology, transparency

Local Races that Benefit: All of them, particularly partisan races like County Auditor

Commissioner of Public Lands — The Commissioner of Public Lands is an increasingly important position that is charged with overseeing both the state’s relationships with extractive industries like fishing, logging, and farming and the state’s management of state parks, conservation efforts, and forest fires.

Good qualifying professions: Biologist, ecologist, farmworker, firefighter, fisherperson, park ranger, emergency management, surveyor

Possible Issues: Effects of climate change like forest fires, pesticide use, land use, and other ecological issues

Local Races that Benefit: Conservation District boards

Auditor — The State Auditor is charged with overseeing efforts for government transparency and accountability at the state, county, and local levels. This is constitutionally supposed to be the most “independent” position, which makes it a good office for a third party to run for “to keep the fox from guarding the henhouse,” so to speak. Independents tend to perform better in running for this position.

Good qualifying professions: Financial analyst, ombuds, journalist, human resources, lawyer, accountant

Possible Issues: Government transparency (particularly Senate Bill 6617 and its subsequent iterations), corruption, partisanship

Local Races that Benefit: All of them, particularly County Assessors and County Auditors

Treasurer — The chief financial officer of the state of Washington.

Good qualifying professions: Accountant, financial planner, actuary, financial sector worker

Possible Issues: Taxes, the budget, public banking

Local Races That Benefit: City Council and legislative races, County Assessors

Insurance Commissioner — Oversees the insurance industry.

Good qualifying professions: Consumer advocate, insurance agent, accountant, actuary

Possible Issues: Insurance regulation

Local Races That Benefit: City Council and legislative races, County Assessors

Link to the Washington Secretary of State for a list of 2024 State Offices Open for Election:

https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/candidates/offices-open-for-election.aspx

–> If you are interested in running for office with the Green Party, please download and complete our Candidate Questionnaire:

Word version | PDF version

If you would like to volunteer to support a Green Party campaign, please let us know!