Initiative Measure No. IL26-001

Argument for

By Travis Reep, Public School Elementary Teacher, Elected Union Representative; Alesha Perkins, Parent and Education Advocate, Independent Writer; Peter Rosenkranz, M.Ed., Superintendent, La Center School District; Tony Harris, Public School Science/STEM Teacher, Elected Union Representative; Amy Sousa, M.A. in Depth Psychology, Women’s Rights Advocate; Jess Grant, Member, Democrats for an Informed Approach to Gender

no rhetorical technique found

Vote Yes to Restore Parents’ Rights in Education These rights include access to their child’s instructional materials and student records, notice of medical services, opt-outs from certain activities and instruction, and immediate notification when law enforcement questions their child or their child is removed from campus without parental permission.

Protecting Vulnerable Children School staff remain mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse or neglect. Privacy for vulnerable children remains paramount. But safeguards designed for children at risk should not become a default policy of withholding information from all parents.

Support Families, Not Secrecy Parents must give permission for schools to administer medication, apply sunscreen, or take students on field trips. Yet current policies allow schools to withhold critical information when a child expresses a new gender identity at school.

These policies may require staff to conceal this information from parents, even when doing so conflicts with their conscience or professional judgment. Opponents call sharing this information with parents “outing” even when significant changes to a minor’s school life may already be known to classmates, teachers, and staff.

Deliberately excluding parents treats them as inherently unsafe without an individualized assessment. This undermines the vital parent-child relationship and denies families the opportunity to navigate consequential questions about health and well-being together.

Restore Trust in Washington Schools Schools are essential partners in a child’s educational success, while parents are responsible for raising their children. Respecting these distinct roles is essential to restoring trust. Vote yes.

From sos.wa.gov, the official voter guide.

Argument against

By John Lovick, State Senator, Democrat, former Snohomish County Sheriff; Roshelle Cleland, Washington Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault; Justin Gill, APRN, President, Washington State Nurses Association; Karen Crowley, President, League of Women Voters of Washington; Courtney Normand, Washington State Director, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates; Jaime Fineman-McKinney, Nationally Board Certified School Counselor, Fife

Loaded LanguageName CallingAppeal to Fear

Vote No On Removing Commonsense Protections For Child Abuse Victims While most parents are loving, the sad reality is there were 117,000 reports of child abuse or neglect in WA in 2024 alone.

This poorly written measure further endangers vulnerable child abuse victims by requiring schools to hand over sensitive information to parents under criminal investigation for raping, abusing or otherwise harming their own child. That’s why it’s opposed by law enforcement and the WA Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.

Vote No On Delaying Parental Notification When Children Are Crime Victims If a student is the victim of a serious crime at school, parents should not have to wait to find out. An unintended consequence of IL26-001 is ending Washington’s legal requirement that schools immediately notify parents when the crime is reported.

Experts say delayed notification only adds to the child’s trauma and can prevent a child from getting immediate help and support from loved ones and professionals.

Vote No On Worsening The Teen Mental Health And Homelessness Crisis School nurses and counselors say this measure, bankrolled by ultra-conservatives, discourages students facing domestic violence, sexual abuse, or bullying from seeking help from trusted teachers and school counselors, who would be required to release students’ confidential records.

Loaded Language · “bankrolled by ultra-conservatives”, “Worsening The Teen Mental Health And Homelessness Crisis” — Emotionally charged framing such as 'Worsening The Teen Mental Health And Homelessness Crisis' and 'ultra-conservatives' is used to provoke a reaction rather than describe the measure neutrally.

Name Calling · “ultra-conservatives” — The label 'ultra-conservatives' is used to discredit the measure's backers rather than address their arguments.

Appeal to Fear · “Vote No On Worsening The Teen Mental Health And Homelessness Crisis”, “discourages students facing domestic violence, sexual abuse, or bullying from seeking help” — Evokes vivid threats to vulnerable students (domestic violence, sexual abuse, bullying) paired with a call to vote no.

It also forces schools to knowingly put LGBTQ+ kids in increased danger of violence and homelessness by outing them to potentially abusive families.That’s why the WA State Nurses Association, doctors, and school counselors oppose this measure.

From sos.wa.gov, the official voter guide.

Supporting

Let's Go Washington (Sponsored by Brian Heywood)

Ballot measure committee, sponsored by Brian Heywood

Raised $3,936,675 · spent $3,918,276 · as reported through Oct 16, 2026

Largest contributors as filed:

• HEYWOOD BRIAN · $607,136 · individual
• Hughes Lawrence · $250,000 · individual
• Gordon Steve · $250,000 · individual
• Crow Robert · $245,000 · individual
• Kelley DevCom LLC · $200,000
  Company

This committee is registered for more than one measure; these are its whole totals, which its filings don’t divide by measure.

47TH DISTRICT REPUBLICANS (47th District GOP)

Political party

“We are active members of the Republican party who live or work in the 47th legislative district.” — its website

Raised $14,930 · spent $12,548 · as reported through Oct 20, 2026

Largest contributors as filed:

• NEW TECH WEB, INC. · $2,265
  Company
• KELTS DONALD · $2,130 · individual
• ROBERTS RAYMOND · $1,796 · individual
• Clark Cobi · $1,075 · individual
• TOMLINSON CECIL J · $1,062 · individual

A political party committee registered on this measure. Its totals cover all its activity, including candidates; its filings don’t divide them by measure.

Straight Talk Republican Caucus of Douglas County Sponsored by Holly Duffy (Straight Talk GOP)

Political action committee, sponsored by Holly Duffy

Registered; no financial report filed yet.

A political party committee registered on this measure. Its totals cover all its activity, including candidates; its filings don’t divide them by measure.

Skagit Young Republicans (SYR)

Political action committee

Registered; no financial report filed yet.

A political party committee registered on this measure. Its totals cover all its activity, including candidates; its filings don’t divide them by measure.

Opposing

No Hate in WA State

Ballot measure committee

Raised $3,924,112 · spent $2,224,059 · as reported through Oct 21, 2026

Largest contributors as filed:

• Inatai Foundation · $1,000,000
  501(c)(4) nonprofit
• SEIU 775 Ballot Fund · $700,500
  Political action committee, sponsored by SEIU 775 (from the registered committee name)
• Washington Education Association · $380,228
  Labor union
• National Education Association · $250,000
  Labor union · federal PAC contributions, 2025–26: $1,966,500 to Democratic and $11,000 to Republican candidates and party committees, $35,000 to others (FEC)
• ACLU of Washington · $173,553
  501(c)(4) nonprofit

Since then, $45,877 more reported in contributions of $1,000 or more, through Oct 20, 2026.

This committee is registered for more than one measure; these are its whole totals, which its filings don’t divide by measure.

Defend Washington

Ballot measure committee

Raised $352,407 · spent $337,626 · as reported through Oct 12, 2026

Largest contributors as filed:

• No on 645 · $207,000
  Ballot measure committee
• Washington Education Association · $90,000
  Labor union
• SEIU 775 · $40,000
  Labor union
• Coffey Robert · $1,000 · individual

This committee is registered for more than one measure; these are its whole totals, which its filings don’t divide by measure.

Snohomish County Democratic Party (Campaign - Non-Exempt)

Political party

Raised $162,727 · spent $140,126 · as reported through Oct 19, 2026

Largest contributors as filed:

• CINDY RYU SURPLUS FUNDS · $73,000
  Candidate-controlled committee, sponsored by Cindy Ryu
• CHELGREN SCOTT · $8,600 · individual
• MCGEE ROBIN · $8,428 · individual
• PAINE SUSAN · $8,325 · individual
• WASHINGTON VALUES PAC · $6,000
  Political action committee

A political party committee registered on this measure. Its totals cover all its activity, including candidates; its filings don’t divide them by measure.

Planned Parenthood Advocates Of Greater Washington PAC Sponsored by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Greater Washington and North Idaho

Political action committee, sponsored by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Greater Washington and North Idaho

Raised $56,644 · spent $51,320 · as reported through Oct 16, 2026

Largest contributors as filed:

• PLANNED PARENTHOOD ADVOCATES OF GREATER WASHINGTON AND NORTH IDAHO · $33,649
  501(c)(4) nonprofit
• North Deborah · $5,000 · individual
• Bradshaw Lucy · $2,000 · individual
• West Maureen · $1,225 · individual
• Natarajan Kottayam · $1,175 · individual

This committee is registered for more than one measure; these are its whole totals, which its filings don’t divide by measure.

Seattle Indivisible

Political action committee

“We are a local chapter of the Indivisible movement, and are inspired by the Indivisible Guide.” — its website

Raised $44,530 · spent $23,555 · as reported through Oct 12, 2026

Largest contributors as filed:

• Seattle Indivisible · $29,530
  Political action committee
• Orenstein Lisa · $1,158 · individual
• Cleland Katherine · $1,038 · individual
• Loughry Michael · $1,000 · individual
• Stansbury Michael Burke · $500 · individual

This committee does other political work too; these are its whole totals, which its filings don’t divide by measure.

Children's Campaign Fund Ballot Measure Committee

Ballot measure committee

Raised $30,000 · spent $6,350 · as reported through Oct 12, 2026

Largest contributors as filed:

• Washington Youth Aliance & Action Fund · $20,000
  Other
• Washington Progress Alliance · $10,000
  501(c)(4) nonprofit

This committee is registered for more than one measure; these are its whole totals, which its filings don’t divide by measure.

Snohomish County Democratic Party (Operations - Exempt)

Political party

Raised $24,600 · spent $24,072 · as reported through Oct 12, 2026

Largest contributors as filed:

• WASHINGTON VALUES PAC · $19,000
  Political action committee
• CITIZENS TO ELECT RICK LARSEN · $1,200
  Candidate-controlled committee, sponsored by Rick Larsen (U.S. House candidate, WA-02; FEC principal campaign committee)

A political party committee registered on this measure. Its totals cover all its activity, including candidates; its filings don’t divide them by measure.

Seattle DSA PAC (SDSA PAC)

Political action committee, sponsored by Seattle DSA (from the registered committee name)

“We are the Seattle chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.” — its sponsor’s website

Raised $13,085 · spent $5,830 · as reported through Oct 16, 2026

Largest contributors as filed:

• Democratic Socialists of America, Inc · $9,500
  501(c)(4) nonprofit
• Seattle DSA · $1,000
  501(c)(4) nonprofit
• Mayorga Jessica · $500 · individual
• Roblee Alice · $500 · individual
• Herde Eric · $250 · individual

This committee does other political work too; these are its whole totals, which its filings don’t divide by measure.

Permanent Defense PAC

Political action committee

Raised $7,710 · spent $7,355 · as reported through Oct 12, 2026

Largest contributors as filed:

• Cleland Katherine · $1,625 · individual
• Strengthening Communities PAC · $1,000
  Political action committee
• Gooding Mark · $500 · individual
• Allen Victoria · $250 · individual
• King Sue · $200 · individual

This committee is registered for more than one measure; these are its whole totals, which its filings don’t divide by measure.

Pacific County Voices Uniting (PCVU)

Political action committee

“Pacific County Voices Uniting is a 100% BIPOC-led organization in Southwest Washington.” — its website

Registered; no financial report filed yet.

Salish Sea Federation of Democratic Women (Salish Sea Democratic Women)

Political action committee

Registered; no financial report filed yet.

A political party committee registered on this measure. Its totals cover all its activity, including candidates; its filings don’t divide them by measure.