At last night’s meeting of the Victory Heights Community Council, we heard from Annie Tran, from the city’s Ethics & Elections Commission, about the Democracy Voucher program.
Read the complete minutes of the March meeting.
First used in the 2017 city council election and funded by an initiative to provide for publicly funded elections, this is a way for citizens to contribute to (for now) city council candidates in a grass roots effort to widen the field. The commission also has on its website Candidate Introductions, 150-word statements submitted by the candidates (about 40 so far, but the filing deadline hasn’t closed yet). In order to qualify for public funds, a candidate needs 150 small-dollar ($10 or more) donations, the signatures from 150 residents, half of whom need to be in the district they are running in, and to abide by spending limits.
To use your vouchers (you get four, “spend” them all on one candidate or spread the wealth), just fill them out and mail them in the postage paid envelope. Check the commission’s website first to make sure your candidate hasn’t already hit the limit of vouchers they can accept or yours go to waste (no take backs).
Other speakers included Steve Zemke from the Seattle Urban Forestry Commission, about updating the city’s tree ordinance; and news from the Lake City Neighborhood Alliance.
The next community council meeting will be Tuesday, April 16th. Come on out and join us.