This fall, every voter in Washington state has a critical role to play in protecting our communities and kids – including some of our most vulnerable neighbors.

At the top of your ballot for the fall election, there are three initiatives that would have real consequences for small businesses, families, and young students – especially transgender athletes and girls in youth sports. Solid Ground urges you to vote NO on all three and return your ballot ASAP, preferably by dropping it your nearest ballot drop box. 

 Vote NO on IP26-645

This tax cut for the wealthy would gut billions in funding for K-12 education, free school lunches, and tax cuts for small businesses and families. 

For decades, Washington state has been home to the single-most regressive tax code in the nation, forcing those who have the least to pay the greatest share of what they have in taxes while the wealthiest pay relatively little. 

State lawmakers finally began to do something about it in 2026 with the passage of the Millionaires Tax, a 9.9% tax on annual household income over $1 million dollars that would raise billions of dollars for schools, youth, and families, while cutting taxes for small businesses and sales tax on household essentials like over-the-counter medications, diapers, deodorant, and more.  

But some of the state’s richest residents have decided they don’t want to contribute any more of their wealth to the wellbeing of our communities. Instead, they’re pouring millions of dollars into repealing the Millionaires Tax through IP26-645, also known as Initiative 645.  

If it passes, this initiative would amount to a massive tax cut for the ultra-wealthy while slashing billions in state funding and raising taxes on small businesses, families living on low incomes, and pretty much everyone else. 

Here’s what else it would do: 

• Cut $13 billion in state funding for schools, hospitals, and childcare programs. 

• Reverse an expansion of the Working Families Tax Credit, effectively raising taxes for 460,000 families. 

• Reinstate sales tax on over-the-counter medicine, diapers, and other essential household items that were exempt under the Millionaires Tax, making those products more expensive for Washington residents. 

• End free school lunches for kids who don’t qualify for other programs. 

• Reestablish a Business & Occupation tax on small businesses that were exempt under the Millionaires Tax. 

Many people are asking, “Could the Millionaires Tax open the door for a general income tax?” The answer is NO. The Millionaires Tax only applies to the top 1% of Washington’s wealthiest, an estimated 25,000 households. Nonetheless, the backers of IP26-645 have tried to turn more residents against the tax by convincing them that lawmakers will someday expand it to include more households that make less money.  

But that argument ignores the political reality: Any attempt to expand the tax would require a new bill, which would undoubtedly face fierce opposition among voters and would likely be repealed through an initiative process – just like the one on the ballot now.  

Governor Bob Ferguson has also said he’d veto any attempt to lower the tax threshold, and it’s unlikely that many lawmakers who want to keep their jobs would support it. 

Learn more about IP26-645 and the harm that it will cause from Invest in Washington Now. 

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 Vote NO on IL26-001

This would roll back protections for our youth, end student-counselor confidentiality, and put kids at risk – especially LGBTQI+ youth. 

The vast majority of parents are loving, supportive, and have the best interests of their children at heart. But the sad reality is that not all kids are safe at home.  

That’s why it’s critical that our schools serve as safe havens where kids can confide in a trusted adult to seek help. IL26-001, also known as I-001, would eliminate that route for seeking support and would actually weaken requirements that parents be alerted when their child is the victim of a serious crime at school. 

In addition, IL26-001 would:  

• Force schools to hand over sensitive information about child abuse victims to their parental abusers. 

• End Washington’s legal requirement that schools immediately notify parents when a crime involving their child is reported, potentially delaying notification by days, weeks, or months. 

• Force school counselors and teachers to put LGBTQI+ students at risk by “outing” them to parents who might not be supportive. 

IL26-001 is opposed by teachers, doctors, nurses, and hundreds of organizations, including Solid Ground and its partners in the WA State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Learn more from No Hate in WA State. 

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 Vote NO on IL26-638 

This ban on transgender girls in sports would force tens of thousands of young female athletes to undergo invasive physical exams or testing.  

IL26-638 is a cruel attempt to discriminate against the tiny number of transgender girls in sports that would also have consequences for the tens of thousands of elementary, middle, and high school girls who play school sports. 

Under the initiative, also known as I-638, every girl in Washington state would be forced to undergo hormonal testing or invasive, embarrassing, and potentially harmful genital exams every year just to play sports. Many girls would likely choose to give up sports instead of being subjected to embarrassing and invasive tests, missing out on the many benefits of playing sports and being part of a team. 

Notably, boys are completely exempt from this requirement – only girls would be subjected to the tests. 

In the end, this initiative would take decision-making about youth sports participation away from parents, local communities, and young athletes, putting it in the hands of the state instead. It does nothing to protect girls in sports – as its backers claim – and instead imposes additional barriers to participation.  

IL26-638 is an invasive, discriminatory attack on girls in sports. Solid Ground believes all children deserve to feel supported, welcomed, and cherished in their communities, regardless of their gender. Learn more from No Hate in WA State.

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Don’t wait until November 3 to make your voice heard!

We urge you to join Solid Ground in standing up for the wellbeing of our communities and kids by saying NO to these three initiatives. To ensure your ballot is counted, drop it at the nearest election drop box – or if that’s not an option, mail it back ASAP.