Seattle – More than 170,000 Washington residents live in the state legally but are not United States citizens. Only a handful of them go through the rigorous process of applying for citizenship, because it is costly and can take years. Several organizations (OneAmerica, the American Immigration Lawyers Assn., and the State of Washington's "New Americans" program) have teamed up to sponsor free workshops to answer naturalization questions and help would-be citizens with their paperwork.

On Saturday, April 18, the second round of "Citizenship Days" workshops will be held. In Centralia, Tukwila, Wenatchee and Yakima, attorneys, interpreters and other volunteers will offer free advice to immigrants. On May 30, workshops will be held in Lacey, Mount Vernon, the Tri-Cities and Vancouver.

Hanne Makhani, program coordinator for Seattle-based OneAmerica, says what often stops a person from becoming a U.S. citizen is the cost. The application filing fee alone is almost $700, she explains, and the process is so lengthy and technical that many people end up paying lawyers to help them.

"In 2007, there were 170,000 legal permanent residents in Washington who were eligible to be naturalized - to be U.S. citizens. Just 14,600 became citizens in Washington. So, there's a huge need."

This is the third year for "Citizenship Days." The concept was developed in Washington, Makhani says, and now 25 states have adopted it. Makhani says people who undertake the long and complicated citizenship process believe it's worth the wait - for better job opportunities, safety from deportation and the right to vote. She expects a good turnout at the workshops.

"Last year, people were really, really excited about the possibility of voting for a new president, and I think that has carried over to this year. People have seen the impact that immigrants can have on an election, and they want to participate that way."

A recent Associated Press (AP) investigation notes another, more somber reason for seeking citizenship - that, in its zeal to crack down on illegal immigration, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers also have detained hundreds of legal U.S. residents. It is illegal to detain or deport someone for an immigration violation, but the AP probe found the system is overloaded as detention numbers continue to rise. As a result, immigrants who have few resources may be jailed, some for days and others for years. ICE's director of detention and removal, Jim Hayes, said he is aware of only a few such cases.

All Citizenship Day workshop locations are listed online at www.wanewamericans.org. Information is also available by calling 1-877-926-3924.


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Kentuckians have less than a week to register to vote in next month's primary election.

If folks miss the April 22 deadline, residents can still register to vote in the presidential election this fall.

Laura Weinstein, chair of the League of Women Voters of Kentucky, is encouraging people to take action now. Voters will need to bring photo identification to the polls. A list of acceptable forms of identification is on the Secretary of State's website.

Weinstein added the website vote411.org includes personalized information about registration and what's on the ballot.

"We'll be posting what are called voter guides," Weinstein explained. "The candidates will be filling out questionnaires so voters can have a better sense of the candidates' positions before going to the polls."

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Election Day, May 21 and early voting runs from May 16-18. This year, Kentuckians will vote for state legislative and local offices, nominate candidates for Congress, and nominate their pick for the next U.S. president.

Weinstein noted there is still time to sign up to be a poll worker, through the website powerthepolls.org.

"And you can get compensated," Weinstein pointed out. "You get $260 for Election Day and it's a great way to learn, again, more about the process. So, that's another excellent way to participate in a primary election as a voter this year."

Research shows primaries typically have lower voter turnout than general elections. Weinstein stressed in a climate of widespread polarization and mistrust in elections, it is more important than ever people participate in the electoral process.

"We also know that voting is habit-forming," Weinstein observed. "Even though there may not be a competitive race in your district, the more you go vote, the more likely it is you'll vote in the future."

More than more than two million Kentuckians showed up at the polls in the last presidential election in 2020, according to the Kentucky State Board of Elections.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.


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Alabama civic-engagement groups are searching for strategies to maintain voter engagement outside of major election years.

As candidates gear up for the runoff election in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District, grassroots organizations such as Faith in Action Alabama are finding ways to amplify residents' voices and address critical issues.

Muaath Al-Khattab, community organizer at the Montgomery hub for Faith in Action Alabama, said they are shifting efforts to fostering civic participation beyond election cycles.

"We wanted to transition from a strictly election-based type of phone banking to a year-round phone banking," Al-Khattab explained. "Where we have voter engagement and voter education throughout the year as opposed to right before elections."

He pointed out the goal is to target diverse demographics including youths, middle-aged adults and seniors. Through targeted outreach and education initiatives, Faith in Action Alabama seeks to bridge gaps in voter knowledge and foster civic participation across the state, especially for local races.

Beyond the ballot box, Al-Khattab noted advocacy is extending to pressing issues such as community safety. He highlighted their push for voting restoration and gun-violence reduction programs.

"We try to educate people on this community involvement," Al-Khattab emphasized. "Whether it be what we call the night walks, which is going through at-risk or high-risk areas of gun violence, and just kind of strengthen the bonds with the communities, and then also pushing for publicly funded community violence intervention programs."

The group is also lobbying for bills to help reduce barriers to voting for people previously incarcerated. Al-Khattab added he sees their initiatives as vital steps toward fostering a fairer and more inclusive electorate. He stressed their work extends across their offices in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery, with established hubs in areas such as Tuskegee, Phenix City, Greenville and Selma.

A new report examines election official turnover since 2000 and found it's something that has been increasing steadily and might continue to rise.

Rachel Orey, senior associate director of the Elections Project with the Bipartisan Policy Center, is among several researchers who dove into the issue. She said their analysis draws on an original dataset of more than 18,000 local chief election officials across more than 6,000 jurisdictions in all 50 states.

Orey said local election officials around the nation have experienced intense levels of scrutiny and hostility, especially prevalent in certain states such as Arizona.

"We know that counties like Maricopa have been in the limelight, and it makes it challenging when these election officials are receiving a lot of public scrutiny. We had an official in Maricopa County last year come out publicly and say that he was experiencing PTSD," she explained.

According to the report, the Federal Bureau of Investigation received more than 1,000 tips about threats to election workers since June of 2021, 11% of which warranted the FBI opening an investigation. The agency deemed Arizona as one of the states with "an unusual level of threats to election workers."

But Orey said turnover is being seen nationwide. While the report states it "discourages" legislators from making statutory changes in an election year, they can still help ensure officials have adequate resources and funding to do their jobs.

Despite the high turnover rates, Orey said there is no cause for concern when it comes to the integrity of elections, including the likely high-stakes rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Orey said their research shows 65% of local election officials have experience administering a presidential election.

"Where there are new officials, we find that they have an average of eight years of experience in an election office. Typically that looks something like a deputy clerk position where they're supporting that chief election official. "

The report recommends investing in training and mentorship, evaluating training programs as well as calls for developing comprehensive systems for capturing institutional knowledge to not only mitigate the immediate impacts of turnover, but promote a more resilient election official workforce over time.


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