What is WEA-PAC? 42,000 educators!
2019 Elections
2019 will be a big year for local elections, including the school boards that set policies at most of our public schools. There will also be a few legislative races on the ballot in districts that have appointed legislators.
You can now contribute to WEA-PAC online using a secure donation page!
Our PAC Board has a goal of reaching 45% membership this year. If each local increases by just 9 members that gets us to our statewide goal. If your local is already at or above 45% our goal is to increase that by 10% by asking your colleagues to join WEA-PAC.
If you WEA member, but have yet to join WEA-PAC - you can find download a WEA-PAC payroll form here. (Student WEA members and WEA Retired members should use this form: this form.)
Welcome to WEA-PAC!
WEA-PAC is the Washington Education Association's political action committee. For the first time in recent history, WEA-PAC membership surpassed 40,000 members! That makes WEA-PAC the largest political action committee in the state.
Our mission is to recommend and elect pro-public education candidates to office. WEA-PAC makes recommendations in races for statewide, legislative and local candidates.
WEA-PAC recommends and elects pro-student, pro-union candidates – regardless of party affiliation. Candidates complete a written questionnaire and participate in an interview with WEA-PAC members. Based on the questionnaire and interview, WEA-PAC members make a recommendation.
Together, we can help pro-education candidates win the elected offices that affect our work and help our students!
Why should I join WEA-PAC?
When elected officials who are not supportive of public education and public educators are creating policies -- we can get stuck playing by their rules.
We can't change who is currently in the legislature or who is on your school board. But as members of WEA-PAC we can play a big role in determining who holds those elected offices.
Electing pro-education candidates helps us have pro-education policy makers, that support things like fully funding education, smaller class sizes, professional and competitive wages, collective bargaining rights, affordable health care, common sense testing.
For more information about WEA-PAC check out the resources below:
WEA-PAC membership is a great way to stay engaged
Joining WEA-PAC and volunteering with your fellow WEA-PAC members is a great way to meet candidates and build relationships with people who create policies that affect our students and our jobs.
Building relationships with elected officials means we are more effectively able to share our concerns about the policies affecting our students and to advocate for the education profession.
You can also learn more about how politics may affect our work by following the OurVoice blog page, or by signing up to receive the blog posts and action alerts on the same page.
What is the NEA-FCPE?
The NEA Fund for Children and Public Education is the political action committee of the National Education Association. The NEA-FCPE recommends and supports candidates who stand up for public education issues at the national level. They endorse in races for office including: President, U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatvies.
You can sign up to participate in the NEA-FCPE when filling out your WEA-PAC form. This contribution is only $1.00 a month.
WEA-PAC membership is up to us
Can you ask a colleague to join today? The WEA-PAC and NEA-FCPE forms are quick and easy to fill out. Forms are available from your association building representative, your local association office or available below to print.
WEA members can join by printing the WEA-PAC Payroll Authorization form to join WEA-PAC. Return it to your union building rep or mail it to: WEA-PAC, PO Box 9100, Federal Way, WA 98063-9100.
WEA-Retired and Student WEA members can join by printing out this form and mailing it to: WEA-PAC, PO Box 9100, Federal Way, WA 98063-9100.
If you have questions, please contact WEA-PAC Coordinators Samantha Casne (253-765-7161) or Emily Hansen (253-412-4406).
WEA locals at 50+ percent WEA-PAC membership
Congratulations to the 94 locals who have 50 percent or higher WEA-PAC membership! These locals are all over the state and include large urbans as well as small rural locals. Members statewide are supporting the mission of electing pro-public education, pro-union candidates to office. Check out the list of locals at 50 percent or higher in 2019 here.