Seattle is trying out this “program” that potentially makes everyone a campaign donor… Under the “democracy voucher program” every resident of the city who is registered to vote will be mailed four $25 vouchers and only candidates themselves can redeem these for cash IF they can “convince” the people to sign them over… This is just weird.
Jon Grant is in the running and thus far he has collected more than $200,000 and Grant states that 95% of his campaign funding has come from these vouchers. “We’re funding our campaign through the democracy voucher program,” Grant tells a homeowner in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle.
“I think what’s really exciting about this is every voter now has kind of a level playing field,” said Grant, “each has $100, which is essentially a coupon, that you can give to a candidate that matches your values.”
While many residents are not happy about it Wayne Barnett of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission is defending the program.
“Most people have never had a candidate knock on their door and ask them to make a campaign contribution,” Barnett said. “It’s empowering to people in a way they’ve never been empowered before.”
