Ballot Initiative Win
Protecting Billions for Education & Childcare
Winning in a landslide vote a statewide ballot initiative campaign to protect the state's first ever capital gains tax on mega-millionaires and billionaires that funds billions for education and childcare, using strategic earned media, websites, grassroots mobilization, digital advertising, and social media.
Challenges
A mega-millionaire self-funded a ballot initiative, I-2109, to take away billions in funding from Washington’s schools and childcare by repealing the state’s first ever capital gains tax that impacts only other mega-millionaires and billionaires.
“We were delighted with the professional, highly motivated energy PowerHouse’s team brought to the No on I-2109 campaign. From earned media to spokespeople to website and social media, PowerHouse delivered everything we needed to win, and more.”
Samantha Casne
No 2109 Campaign Manager,
Washington Education Association Political Coordinator
Results
In a historic landslide vote, voters rejected the capital gains tax repeal, 63% to 37%. A majority of voters in some of the most conservative counties in the state joined in, sending a strong message of support for more taxes on the wealthy to fund critical state services.
How We Did It
Working with a broad coalition of teachers, parents, childcare providers, and children’s organizations, PowerHouse Strategic’s team provided strategic press, social media, website, digital and grassroots services.
PowerHouse’s team hosted multiple press briefings and big media events with great visuals for reporters, featuring parents, children, teachers and policy experts. We provided deep background information for editorial boards, resulting in full-throated, positive editorial board support for voting No on I-2109 from across the state. Our team aggressively countered I-2109’s backers’ misinformation with rapid response to social media and earned media.
We also mobilized more than 100,000 activists with our client Invest in Washington Now, helping to provide the No on I-2109 campaign with valuable volunteers and donors.
Seattle Times 10/9/24
The Seattle Times editorial board recommends: Vote ‘no’ on Initiative 2109