Externship Items | Washington Public Campaigns

Externship Description

Washington Public Campaigns (“WPC”) is a non-profit corporation with the purpose "to promote the passage of legislation establishing public financing of campaigns and of other measures reforming campaign laws and enhancing democracy." WPC has in the recent past supported and/or is currently supporting various pieces of legislation before the Washington State Legislature that would (a) permit public financing of campaigns for local offices, (b) establish a program for public financing of campaigns for state appellate judicial offices, and (c) establish a program for public financing of campaigns for state executive and legislative offices.

The externship position is expected to immerse the student in many aspects of the legislative process. Tasks may be expected to include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Researching and drafting proposed state and perhaps local legislation

• Meeting with legislators and their staffs

• Helping to build coalitions with other groups for legislative advocacy

• Participating in legislative strategy meetings

• Briefing public financing activists in anticipation of meetings with legislators

• Preparing hearing testimony

• Writing legislative status memoranda to supervisors

• Writing periodic reports to WPC’s board of directors.

An anticipated function of the position would be to closely monitor the legislative process and to respond quickly to political developments by suggesting and drafting proposed amendments to bills during the course of that process. The position would involve meetings at the Capitol in Olympia, at various locations in the Puget Sound region, and at WPC’s office, as well as independent work by computer, the Internet, and e-mail.

We believe this position affords an excellent opportunity for a student interested in either (a) pursuing legislative advocacy as a career or (b) for general purposes learning more about the legislative side of our legal system.