About

The WA State Debate Coalition (WSDC) was founded in 2016 by Seattle CityClub and has served thousands of live debate attendees and over 3 million people through broadcast, print and online platforms. The WSDC is a public service made possible through the joint efforts of civic leaders, nonpartisan organizations, civic groups, colleges and universities, donors, sponsors, and a strong group of media partners.

All Coalition members are committed to ensuring free, public access to live, moderated debates between candidates holding and/or seeking elected office. This program demonstrates Seattle CityClub’s commitment to providing civic information, fostering civil, non-partisan engagement and enabling access to candidates for statewide offices such as Governor, Attorney General, and U.S. Senate.

An Annual Seattle CityClub Commitment

As part of Seattle CityClub’s 2021 Dialogue Across Differences initiative, local or state-wide debates will be held annually, according to the needs of the community. Thank you to our generous supporters for helping the WSDC address polarization through civil, public debate.   

2022 Press Release >>

Frequently Asked Questions >>

WSDC Media Coverage >>

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Join the Coalition

Does your organization believe that making public debates available to all voters is crucial to a functioning democracy?  Click the button below and share why you want to become a member: 

Expanding Across the Nation

In 2019, the Washington State Debate Coalition partnered with Indiana, Ohio , and Utah to create state debate commissions to create the State Debate Coalition, which collaborates on state-wide debates and promotes the creation of state debate commission across the country.

DEI Commitment

We are committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). In all debates, we are integrating five elements to maximize access and inclusion: 

Distance – Shrinking the physical distance between communities and those that represent them so the people can hold elected officials accountable. 

Discussion – Ensuring the topics of conversation and contestation reflect the needs of diverse communities. 

Design – Recognizing that what it means to “debate” sounds different to different cultures and creating the spaces to recognize that plurality. 

Debrief – Ensuring we have diverse perspectives contextualizing the conversation for our audiences. 

Resources – Supplementing the debates with educational resources that respect different backgrounds. 

Presenting Sponsor

Supporting Sponsors

Puget Sound Energy

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health

Premier Media Partners

Supporting Media Partners

Education Partners

Civic & Community Partners

Advisory Partners

Contact

For questions about hosting a debate or joining the Washington State Debate Coalition: 

Contact: cityclub@seattlecityclub.org. 

For media inquiries: 

Contact: cityclub@seattlecityclub.org. 

Watch the 2021 Tacoma Mayoral Debate

Watch the 2022 Seattle Mayoral Debate

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