Since 2022, Washington State has automatically restored voting rights to individuals with felony convictions once they are no longer serving a sentence of total confinement. However, some individuals leaving the criminal justice system may not be aware of this change.
To address that information gap, the Skagit League of Women Voters and Skagit Valley College launched a civic education project starting in January. The project was designed to increase awareness of voting rights and civic engagement opportunities among populations that may face barriers to participation. The effort was supported by a $600 grant from the national League of Women Voters Education Fund, and goes toward stipends for the project’s student volunteers.
The Skagit LWV partnered with the college’s Breaking Free Club, a student organization that supports SVC students who were formerly incarcerated. Four students from the club participated in a series of training sessions with the LWV. Then, they conducted outreach at local sites including the Recovery Café, Skagit County Community Justice Center, Oxford Houses, Underground Ministries, and Skagit Community Court.
The group’s final training session was held Monday at SVC’s Cardinal Center and included a public event titled “Restoring the Vote: Empowering Justice-Impacted Voices in Washington.” The guest speaker was David Lund, a criminal justice specialist with the Washington Secretary of State’s Civic Engagement Office. Lund, who previously served a prison sentence, spoke about the importance of promoting the voice that all voters can exercise through their right to vote. In his role with the Secretary of State’s office — which he described as “connecting to people who’ve been left out to remind them of their own civic power” — he works to ensure that formerly incarcerated individuals, as well as those eligible to vote but held in pretrial detention or for misdemeanor convictions, are able to properly access the ballot.
“No matter your past, you are still a member of your community, and claiming your voice matters,” Lund said.
Also at the event, student participants from the Breaking Free Club shared their experiences with the project. One student, Sarah, who asked to only be identified by their first name, noted that many formerly incarcerated people said they were unaware their voting rights had been restored. Sarah, and other students, said they believe, “Education changes someone’s life.” Sarah wants to “make changes that make society a better place.”
SVC faculty member Jere LaFollette, who helped form the project, agreed, saying education is key.
“It’s the gateway to a successful life after being released,” he said.
During this year’s legislative session, HB 1147 — a bill aimed at easing the process of civic participation for those currently incarcerated in state prisons or hospitals, and co-sponsored by local Rep. Alex Ramel and others — died in committee. The bill faced criticism from Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and other state agencies, including the Department of Corrections, primarily due to its estimated $23.5 million cost, which was not included in the governor’s budget amid Washington’s ongoing budgetary challenges.
Sayer Theiss: Sayer is a journalist and high school senior currently residing in Mount Vernon. Sayer covers stories and events across the Skagit Valley.
