Clallam Democrats Rising - April 2026
Vol. 2, #3 - April 2026
Editor’s Note
As the mid-term elections heat up, this month’s newsletter and web articles look at ways to re-invent and strengthen the Democratic Party to:
— Resist the influence of Big Money in our elections;
— Communicate more simply and effectively with voters of all political stripes;
— Offer peaceful resistance through song, food, and other community pursuits (even knitting!); and,
— Empower democratic grassroots voters with the knowledge, guidance and assistance they need to recognize candidates who are honestly working to improve all our lives, not just the lives of a privileged few.
We also explore how the community is working with legislators and nonprofits on ways to house the unhoused in Clallam County.
In the April issue of Clallam Democrats Rising:
Chair’s Corner
Local Impacts, Local Actions
Show up, speak out at important local meetings
Building a bridge over the rural-urban divide
3 Steps to being a Precinct Committee Officer
What’s at stake in the 2026 Mid-Terms?
Getting Big Money out of state elections
Salt Creek Legacy Forests need your help
Feature Articles:
Helping our unsheltered neighbors
Creative acts of resistance
Wave of activism sweeps Democratic Party - and you can be part of it!
How progress in the disabled community is impacted by a president’s scorn
Read on, enjoy, take action!
Our commitment to working people
On March 10th, Representative Steve Tharinger formally announced his retirement from the Washington State Legislature. His departure closes another remarkable chapter for the 24th Legislative District (LD), especially for Clallam County, where his public service began and where his leadership has been felt most profoundly.
Steve’s career in elected office started right here at home on the Clallam County Board of Commissioners. When Rep. Lynn Kessler retired in 2010 after 18 years (11 of them as House Majority Leader), Steve stepped forward to continue that legacy of steady, effective representation. Over the next 16 years in Olympia, he became a trusted voice for rural communities and served for 11 years as Chair of the Capital Budget Committee, guiding investments that shaped infrastructure, services, and economic opportunity across the state. His retirement is well-earned, and our gratitude for his nearly three decades of public service to our community is immeasurable. (Read Paul Pickett’s interview with Steve Tharinger from our July 2025 issue.)
But his announcement also brings us to an important crossroads.
For the second time in as many years, the 24th LD will elect a new representative. Early indications suggest we may see a crowded Democratic primary, with several strong candidates preparing to step up. This is a healthy sign of a vibrant, engaged party, but it also means voters will have important choices to make.
The issues facing our district are complex: rural healthcare access, sustainable forestry, housing, climate resilience, economic development, and the ongoing need to ensure that rural voices are heard in Olympia. The next representative will need to understand these challenges and be ready to advocate effectively from Day One.
The 24th LD has benefited from decades of consistent, experienced leadership. Rep. Kessler and Rep. Tharinger both brought integrity, stability, credibility, and a deep concern for our communities to the legislature. That continuity has served us well. Now, as we prepare for a competitive primary, it’s essential that we choose someone who can carry that tradition forward. Someone who can:
Navigate the complexities of the state budget
Build relationships quickly in Olympia
Represent rural communities with clarity and conviction
Understand the district’s needs and opportunities
Continue the legacy of thoughtful, pragmatic leadership
As Democrats, we have the responsibility, and the privilege, of selecting the candidate who will best serve our communities in the years ahead. That begins with engagement. Voter turnout in primary elections is historically low. It’s incumbent on us to work to turn out democratic voters!
In the coming months, we want to encourage every member of our community to:
Attend candidate forums
Ask questions about priorities, experience, and vision
Talk with neighbors and share information
Support voter registration and turnout efforts
Stay informed as the field develops
VOTE
The best way to honor Rep. Tharinger’s service is to ensure that the 24th LD continues to be represented by someone capable, committed, and prepared to step into a complex role at a pivotal time. This election is our opportunity to shape the next chapter for Clallam County and the entire district. Let’s meet it with the seriousness, and the enthusiasm, it deserves.
In solidarity,
Ellen Menshew
Chair, Clallam County Democrats
chair@clallamdems.org
Show up, speak out at important local meetings
We need you to SPEAK OUT! MAGA loyalists are turning out in droves at the many local meetings which set the ‘rules’ in our community. They are lining up early to ensure they’re the first to make public comments and are bombarding elected officials with their distortions and lies. This matters because research shows that in large groups, it only takes about 5% of the crowd to influence the remaining 95% to follow along without even realizing they are copying the group and often overriding their own personal judgment or morals (“herd mentality”).
Progressives, liberals, Democrats, we need you to speak out too so our elected officials know we have their back. Offering an alternative point of view can also embolden others who may agree with you, but are too cowed by the fury of the “haters” to speak up.
Attend, either in person or by Zoom (if offered), any of the many meetings which set the ‘rules’ in our community. From Clallam County Commissioner meetings, City Council Meetings and School District meetings, to the Hospital Board, Chamber of Commerce, and Conservation Districts, decisions are made at these meetings that affect our lives. And if you can’t make the meeting, send your comments in through their websites or by email. The important thing is for your voice to be heard.
Clallam County Democrats consider Rural Urban Bridge Initiative
By Bill Biery, Chair, Resolutions Committee
Could a movement of progressive populists, independents, and rural communities go beyond resistance and help spur a new wave of economic populism? The answer is “yes,” but we need to THINK BIG!
At the Clallam County Democrats (CCD) General Meeting on Wednesday, April 8, the Resolution Committee will present the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative (RUBI), which develops political, economic and communications strategies that build bridges and serve the common interests of all working and middle-class Americans. The proposal teaches us about our Party’s guiding principles, while inviting all of us to think differently, talk differently, and act differently to understand the causes of the rural-urban divide and do something to repair it.
RUBI came out of the Rural New Deal (RND), published in September 2023, the product of a partnership between RUBI and the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA). The RND is a concise but relatively comprehensive policy platform written to help guide both long-term economic renewal and address major social problems across rural America. It can be utilized by those who propose, make, or implement public policy, as well as everyday people, whether in cities, suburbs, or the countryside.
If you believe that strong, healthy rural communities are essential to our nation’s well-being, the RND will help you understand how to get there. And RUBI can help you share our Party’s commitment to serving the needs of rural Clallam County by focusing on positive messaging as we talk with voters in the weeks and months ahead.
Find out more about the RUBI party initiative and how you can support it to strengthen platform fundamentals in our Party and provide motivation for winning elections. Read the Rural New Deal Resolution.
How to be a PCO 1-2-3
by Paul Pickett
Precinct Committee Officers (PCOs) are front-line leaders of our County Party. They are elected in the even-year general election and are the only party members who can vote on key Executive positions.
In this month’s issue, Doug Taylor’s article, Bringing democracy to your Democratic Party! makes a powerful argument for the renewal and reform of the office of PCO as the representative office within our Party.
Also, take a moment to read information on the PCO position and the work they do on our website, as well as a letter from PCO Paul Kolesnikoff on the “Local Impacts, Local Actions” page of the March Clallam Democrats Rising newsletter.
Are you interested in being a PCO? Here are some simple instructions:
If you don’t know your precinct, you can find it here. Does your precinct have a Dem PCO? You can view a list of all 2024-2026 Precinct Committee Officers here. Or for quick reference, below is a list of precincts where we need a Dem PCO:
Are you willing to run? During Candidate Filing Week – May 4 through 8 – you can file for the position through the Clallam County Auditor’s office. There’s no fee, and you don’t have to register with the Public Disclosure Commission. Piece of cake!
What's at stake in the 2026 Midterms?
Americans are angry. We are feeling hopeless. Everyday the Trump Administration commits fresh atrocities, curtails our rights and steals our future with corruption. It feels like the institutions we have trusted our whole lives are failing. But the founding fathers built in safeguards against tyranny. They gave us the power to reclaim sanity through our votes.
The Freedom Writers Collaborative’s latest social media kit, “What’s at Stake in the 2026 Midterms: The Very Idea of America,” is a powerful way to bring the message home that we must do everything we can to put the Democratic Party back in the majority: register, vote early if you can, canvass, donate, volunteer, and spread the word to friends and loved ones so we can take back our country from those who are destroying it. The kit contains customizable posts you can use to help expose the truth about the incredibly high stakes for all of us in successfully opposing this authoritarian regime. The Freedom Writers Collaborative is a grass roots operation providing messaging and social media content inspired by progressive allies.
We really CAN get big money out of our elections in Washington
Ever since the Supreme Court shattered campaign finance law with its decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission in 2010, Americans have been told there are only two ways to stop corporate and “dark” money in politics: Amend the U.S. Constitution or wait for the court to undo what it has done. That is flat wrong.
The organization Fix Democracy First, along with the support of Center for American Progress (CAP), has drafted legislation to reduce the powers given to artificial entities (like corporations) to not include spending money on local, State, and federal elections. Take action today by supporting an act by the Washington Legislature to reduce the powers given to corporations and dark money groups to spend money on our elections. Learn more and sign the Citizen Resolution, then share with your friends, family, and network by email and text, and post on social media.
Protect Salt Creek Legacy Forests
Legacy forests next to the Salt Creek Recreation Area are under imminent threat of logging by the WA Department of Natural Resources. We stand to lose some of the most incredible and accessible coastal rainforests on the entire Olympic Peninsula. To learn more, plus see photos and maps, visit the Elwha Legacy Forests Coalition Salt Creek/Striped Peak web page. We've succeeded in protecting legacy forests before, but your voice is needed to make it happen! Take five minutes TODAY to call (360) 902-1004 and email Public Lands Commissioner Upthegrove and tell him why he should stop the logging of legacy forests next to Salt Creek (And when you’ve done that, send this to at least 5 friends and ask them to take action today!)
Helping our unsheltered neighbors
What does it mean to be without a home in our county? Homelessness is a complex issue, and writer Paul Pickett offers a roadmap to what’s being done across our county to address the situation, who the main players are, how the Democrats are helping with solutions, and what you can do to help these most vulnerable members of our community.
Creative Acts of Resistance
Following up on her March article about small acts of resistance you can take to protest what’s happening to democracy in our nation, writer Tina Tyler explores some creative ways you might not have thought of to “speak up and act.”
Bringing democracy to the Party
An article by Clallam County Democrats’ own Doug Taylor describes a wave of reform and renewal sweeping across the Democratic Party to revitalize the role of Precinct Committee Officer (PCO), which has been the sole partisan elective office within the Party since 1907. Doug worries that PCOs have become merely spokespersons for the Party and cheerleaders for leadership and makes the case that PCOs should become the representative office within our Party.
Conflict, hypocrisy, and progress of Participatory Democracy
Gary Mackenstadt writes about the bias the current occupant of the White House has repeatedly demonstrated against people with disabilities. As someone who is blind, Gary explains how the president’s actions and attitude with respect to the disabled is an attempt to counteract much of the progress made by the differently abled community.
Tuesday, April 13, 6 p.m. – Support immigrants living in Clallam County
The Immigration Action Committee meets Tuesday, April 13, at 6 p.m. on Zoom. During this challenging time for immigrants, we have a lot going on, so join us to find out more. We meet on the second Tuesday of the month. For more information and to get a Zoom link to attend the April 13 meeting, contact the Action Committee Chair.
Saturday, April 18, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. – 2026 Rural Summit
Please join us Saturday, April 18, for our Second Rural Summit at the North Central Washington Democrats Office in Wenatchee. (There’s also a hybrid option.) This Rural Summit was planned in conjunction with the WSDCC Rural Engagement Committee and offers useful and productive training that includes Data/Votebuilder, Messaging, Candidate Recruitment, and more! RSVP required.
Tuesday, April 21, 12 p.m. – CHAT n CHEW No-Host Lunch
Every third Tuesday of the month is a chance to get together for a visit over lunch. No RSVP needed. Everyone is welcome! Meet at Asian Buffet (near Harbor Freight) in Port Angeles Plaza, 1940 E 1st St., Port Angeles. Cost: $20.
Thursdays, 4:30 p.m. – Take-Action Thursdays continue! April 3, 9, 16, 23, 30
On Thursday afternoons, drop by Clallam County Democrats headquarters to enjoy a meal with like-minded people and discuss ways we can take positive action to preserve our democracy. Bring your preferred beverage, your appetite, and your ideas. HQ is located at 124-A West First St. in Port Angeles.
Fridays, 3 - 4 p.m. – Vigil for Democracy, Four Corners: WA/Sequim Aves, April 3, 10, 17, 24
Join us every Friday for a peaceful vigil for community members to meet and support each other as we work together to save our democracy. We’ll gather at the four corners in Sequim (Washington Street and Sequim Avenue). Bring signs to “Save our Democracy.”
Saturdays, 1 - 3 p.m. – Practice true community April 4, 11, 18, 25
Many of our fellow community members are unhoused, food insecure, battling addiction, and suffering from illness and loneliness. Help the most vulnerable in our community by showing up at Jesse Webster Park in Port Angeles, at 3rd & Eunice St., behind Swains, with warm clothing, food (especially sandwiches), and a willing pair of hands to set-up, serve, and clean up. Sponsored by Tree Park Collective, a 501(c)(3) organization.
Stay tuned for all of our exciting spring events!
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We need your stories! Submit your ideas to newsletter@clallamdems.org.
We need your help! Volunteers are always needed for our newsletter – writing, editing, graphics, layout – lots of opportunities to creatively contribute. To learn more, send a note to newsletter@clallamdems.org.
Thank you for reading, and for being a part of the change and resistance our country needs. Together, we will defend Democracy. Stay active, and we’ll see you next month!
Working with Our Allied Partners in Wise Environmental Stewardship:
- Center for Responsible Forestry
- Earth Law Center
- Elwha Legacy Forests
- Friends of Ennis Creek
- Legacy Forest Defense Coalition
- Olympic Climate Action
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