Okra Media
No on I-645
Prepared by Parker Butterworth
July 2026
Parker Butterworth has worked on more than 50 legislative and local races across Washington, developing campaign strategies and advertising tailored to the unique voters, communities, and political dynamics in each district. His experience also includes statewide independent expenditure campaigns, including the Washington Education Association's statewide independent expenditure campaigns (2020 and 2024) supporting Chris Reykdal. Across his career, Parker has worked on more than 100 campaigns and independent expenditures nationally, from competitive legislative races to statewide campaigns, presidential primaries, and independent expenditures.
Parker's extensive Washington State political experience means he has developed an on-the-ground understanding of the voters and communities that make up our State’s political landscape. From Seattle and the Puget Sound region to competitive legislative districts across the state, he understands the local issues, political dynamics, and voter priorities that shape individual races.
As a partner-led firm, Okra Media provides clients with direct access to senior strategic expertise throughout the engagement, with Parker personally involved in the strategic development, messaging, creative direction, and execution of the project. Clients work directly with the partner leading the work, ensuring that the project's strategy and execution benefit from Parker's extensive experience and deep knowledge of Washington's political landscape.
A Deep Understanding of Washington Voters
Approach + Methodology
For this project, we propose building a communications strategy around a forward-looking vision for Washington and the people who call it home. Rather than allowing the conversation to be defined by debates over government spending, whether Washington is "doing fine," or the biggest question: will the income tax creep to me, we would work to establish a broader and more compelling frame: What are we building for the next generation?
Our proposed approach centers on two interconnected ideas:
Investing in Washington's Future
Washington's success did not happen by accident. Previous generations invested in the schools, communities, infrastructure, businesses, and opportunities that made our state what it is today. Our responsibility is to build on that foundation and prepare Washington for what comes next.
This framing moves the conversation away from the debate about spending and taxes and toward a more meaningful question about stewardship, opportunity, and the future. Investments in great schools, affordable child care, small businesses, infrastructure, and strong communities are not isolated policy choices. They are interconnected investments in the people and institutions that will define Washington's next generation.
We Are Washington
If “Investing in Washington's Future” is the main communication thrust, “We Are Washington” is its rallying cry.
The campaign should be about the people who make Washington what it is: parents, teachers, small business owners, workers, students, entrepreneurs, and families in communities across the state. Rather than centering the communication exclusively on politicians or policy, the creative should invite voters to see themselves as part of a shared future. “We Are Washington” has the added bonus of being easy to use to contrast with the super millionaires and billionaires who should become our foil.
We Are Washington creates a unifying, inclusive identity that can bring individual mail pieces together into a larger campaign narrative.
The Program
Our approach will combine broad mailings that establish the campaign's narrative with targeted communications designed to speak directly to the priorities and experiences of specific audiences.
The campaign should begin with 2-3 mailers that introduce voters to the overarching vision: Investing in Washington's Future and We Are Washington. These pieces will establish the campaign's tone, introduce the central themes, and create a consistent visual and messaging identity that voters will recognize throughout the program.
From there, we will segment the audience and tailor the message to the voters who the research has told us that we need. These targeted mailings will use tailored messaging, photography, and visuals designed to reflect the priorities and lived experiences of each audience. The goal is not to create disconnected campaigns within the campaign, but to make the same larger vision feel personally relevant to different voters.
To complement our portfolio, Okra Media developed the enclosed custom direct mail concept specifically for this RFP. The piece demonstrates how we would approach the unique opportunity presented by this project, bringing our proposed "Investing in Washington's Future" and "We Are Washington" messaging framework to life.
Designed as a 6" x 11" mailer with an interior fold-out brochure, the concept combines visual impact with enough space to tell a compelling story and connect individual priorities to a larger, forward-looking narrative. It demonstrates our approach to creating direct mail that is visually distinctive, emotionally engaging, and grounded in a cohesive message that can be tailored across audiences.
Other Work Examples
New Direction PAC
New Direction successfully supported State Senator Vandana Slatter in her special election by framing the election as a choice between progressive values versus corporate wealthy interests.
Adrian Cortes
State Senator Adrian Cortes’ victory in the Republican-leaning 18th District was extremely close and the only Washington State Senate pickup in 2024.
Jessica Rienstra
Jessica Rienstra’s successful campaign in 2025 in a historically Republican district. We utilized the “All of Us” messaging that framed a story about perseverance and neighbors helping each outer.
References
Samantha Casne
Washington Education Assocation
Sam@
206
Kurt Fritts
New Direction PAC
Kurt@
206
Katy Ozog
Washington State Democrats
Katy@
206