Since 2014, Snohomish County has earned the dubious honor of having the worst turnout of voters in Washington state. Sadly, this isn’t limited just to Snohomish County. Some of our state’s most populous counties also shoulder shame. King, Pierce and Yakima finished in the bottom five for voter participation in the most recent Feb. 9 special election. Pierce came in at 31.6 percent, King at 28.1 percent, and Yakima at 29.9 percent.
Why are we seeing these continued low numbers? What will it take to change? Whether it be the process, or the candidates on the ballot, people need to feel like the issues and the candidates represent them and their needs.
Low voter turnout matters most in local elections because local winners are a direct reflection of the voting population. If the participation of gender and racial groups were even, we would likely see similar outcomes in elected office. Unfortunately, this is not the reality.
The glaring numbers: Right now, only 33 percent of Washington legislators are women. That is not a lot, but it still beats the national average at just under 25 percent. Nationwide, the percentage of female state legislators varies widely from state to state—but in no state do women make up close to 50 percent.
We have a long way to go when it comes to equity in elected office. Women make up less than a third of our state’s Legislature, city mayors and just 35 percent of all state judges. As of 2015, there is only one woman in statewide executive office in Washington and only one woman of color from the state in the U.S. Congress.
Right here in Snohomish County there is a vast difference in the number of women in office versus men. Among elected council, mayors and judges, 105 are men and only 45 are women. If you look at all the elected positions in Snohomish County, 49 of those positions are held by women and 112 by men.
These numbers aren’t just disproportionate; they are flat-out alarming. A diverse, representational government gives a voice to working women, to communities of color, and to LGBTQ families.
Research shows that when women run they win at the same rate as men. So why are these numbers so low? The root of the problem is women aren’t running.
But we can change that in 2016. Together, we can make 2016 the next “Year of the Woman” for Snohomish County. Equal representation in public office means we will have more women to champion the issues that are important to women and families. Issues such as child care, equal pay for equal work and education.
At the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington, we work to recruit, train and elect qualified women to public office at all levels of government and on both sides of the aisle. On March 5, we are holding our annual women’s Campaign Training at Everett Community College. Whether you’re planning to run for office in the future or want to know how you can better support women candidates in 2016, our annual campaign training will give you the tools you need to hit the ground running. You can learn more about the training here.
We have said it before and we will say it again: The process of running for and serving in office must be more inclusive of all women. If we want public policy and process to represent the wide range of priorities and needs for women and families, political parity is an imperative.
This state has a long history of electing women. In the recent past, all three of our highest elected positions — U.S. senators and governor — were held by women. In 1910, Washington became the fifth state to grant women the right to vote. The first woman was elected to the state House of Representatives by 1912.
Let’s continue this rich history in Snohomish County. It is time to reach parity in office. Women continue to make strides, but there is much more work to be done. 2016 can be a major step toward making our representative democracy truly representational of the people it serves.
Emily Wicks is a Snohomish County resident and serves as the Education and Training Committee Chairwoman with the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington.
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