McCaffree was director of the state Department of Revenue between 1974 and 1976 and worked as an aide for Governor Daniel J. Evans and Senator Slade Gorton after leaving office.

McCaffree met another faculty wife, Lois North, and the two joined the Seattle chapter of the League of Women Voters.

[2][3] With the League, they pushed for the introduction of a state income tax, for the voting age to be lowered to eighteen, and to enact a constitutional amendment that would create a recurrent, ten-year requirement for redistricting.

[2] She was inspired by the conditions at her children's schools to get involved, becoming the legislative chair of the King County Parent-Teacher Association.

[2][3] She was on the temporary advisory council on higher education between 1965 and 1967 and was the co-author of the legislation that established the state community college system.

She also served on the first pollution control and shoreline management hearings board and was a delegate to the 1977 National Women's Conference in Houston, Texas.

She was director of the King County Department of Budget and Program Planning between 1978 and 1980 and then served as the administrative assistant for now-Senator Gorton from 1981 to 1983.