Welcome!
Introducing our 2024 Washington State Debate Coalition
Schedule and Partnerships
Our Civically Engaged Youth Council (CEYC) will play an integral role in the debates this year. Learn more about the CEYC.
Does your organization believe that making public debates available to all voters is crucial to a functioning democracy? If you are interested in being a Washington State Debate Coalition sponsor, please contact our Executive Director, Alicia Crank. You can also view our sponsorship offerings.
Our History
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, OSPI, and U.S. Senate.
An Annual Seattle CityClub Commitment
As part of Seattle CityClub’s Building Resilient Communities 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.
Frequently Asked Questions and History of Support >>
Watch Past Debates
Watch full debates from 2016 to 2022 election seasons
2024 Debate Schedule
Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024
Seattle City Council
Seattle Central College, Seattle – 7 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024
Attorney General
Seattle Central College, Seattle – 7 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024
OSPI
Edmonds Center for the Arts, Edmonds – 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 11, 2024
Governor
Central Washington University, Ellensburg – 4 p.m.*
*Earlier start time due to Yom Kippur. Subject to change.
In person registration will open later this summer.
Presenting Sponsors
Premier Media Partners
Event and Venue Partners
Civic Sponsors
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.