Advocacy 101: Getting Ready for the Legislative Session With Some Practical Advocacy Actions

Welcome to January, when Washington State begins its annual legislative session. The legislative session is when lawmakers gather in Olympia to make decisions about the state budget, healthcare, housing, transportation, and hundreds of other issues that affect daily life. Many people don’t realize that the Legislature meets only part of the year or that the public can easily participate from home. Still, your voice truly matters, especially during the “short” 60-day session, which takes place in even-numbered years. The “long” session, which lasts 120 days, occurs in odd-numbered years.

This year’s session will move quickly. In 2025, lawmakers introduced 1,905 bills, and the 2026 session may bring just as many, and perhaps even more. With so much activity packed into such a short window, even small actions from engaged community members can make a meaningful difference.

Here are a few quick facts to help set the stage: Washington’s first legislature met in 1854, long before statehood in 1889. Today, the Legislature includes 49 senators and 98 representatives, serving 49 legislative districts, each representing around 160,000 people. That scale and representation mean your advocacy efforts can truly stand out—older adults remain among the most trusted and influential voices that lawmakers hear.

Because the session moves fast, it helps to be prepared as it begins. Here are five simple actions you can take this month. They sit at the heart advocating for older adults, but the paragraphs around them help explain why they matter and how they fit into the bigger picture.

Reaching out to your legislators is one of the most effective steps you can take. A brief email or phone call urging them to protect senior nutrition, housing for older adults, and Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs that affect older adults can go a long way. Even a short, one-sentence message signals that these issues matter to the people they represent.

• Contact Your Legislators: Call or email your representatives and advocate for programs that impact older adults. A simple script, such as “I urge you to oppose cuts to home‑ and community-based services for seniors,” is enough to make your voice heard.  If you don’t know your legislator or district, here is a handy tool to help find them: https://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/

Advocacy also happens close to home. Volunteering with community organizations strengthens the very programs lawmakers debate in Olympia and helps you stay connected to local needs.

• Help Local Efforts: Support senior nutrition and other programs through your help at food banks or senior centers. Perhaps you might want to explore opportunities to serve on city aging commissions or advisory boards.

Your own story is one of the most powerful advocacy tools you have. Whether you’ve relied on Social Security, SNAP, transportation services, or caregiving support, sharing your experience helps others understand why these programs matter.

• Raise Awareness: Share personal stories or host a small discussion on aging at a library, senior center, or community group.

As you prepare for the session, consider how you can support inclusive aging. Speaking up for seniors of color, rural elders, and others who face disparities helps ensure that policies reflect the needs of the whole community.

• Support Inclusive Aging and Age-Friendly Programs: Advocate for reducing disparities in healthcare, housing, transportation, and partner with organizations working on inclusive aging initiatives. One example is Age-Friendly Seattle: https://www.seattle.gov/agefriendly

Economic security remains a cornerstone of aging with dignity. Encouraging others to support social protections helps keep these issues visible.

• Promote Economic Security: Encourage your networks to support things like Social Security protections and share resources on retirement planning and even workforce opportunities for older adults.

Lawmakers depend on timely input from the people they serve. Older adults bring credibility, experience, and a deep understanding of community needs. Even one or two small actions this month can help ensure that aging issues remain visible and prioritized. As we head into this fast-moving 60-day session, remember that advocacy doesn’t require expertise, just curiosity, compassion, and the willingness to speak up for what matters. Every email, every shared story, every moment of engagement helps shape a stronger, more caring community for people of all ages. Your voice carries wisdom, experience, and heart, and it truly makes a difference.

Thank you for showing up for your community and for one another!

Joel Domingo is Chair of the Advisory Council’s Advocacy Committee and Dean of the Research Institute and Director of Research and Professor at City University of Seattle, where he leads the university’s overall scholarship and research objectives. His work focuses on leadership development and civic capacity building for creating social transformation in the public and community nonprofit spheres.