Washington State Supreme Court upholds Seattle Democracy Vouchers
Jul 11, 2019, 12:49 PM
A Seattle democracy voucher. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
The Washington State Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of upholding Seattle’s Democracy Voucher program.
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The ruling came down Thursday morning, in favor of a first-of-its-kind system OK’d by voters in 2015, and implemented two years after that. The program sends all eligible, registered Seattle voters four $25 “vouchers,” that they can distribute accordingly among the candidates of their choosing.
The vouchers were funded for a 10-year period in 2015 by a $3 million voter-approved property tax, that includes commercial, businesses, and residential properties. The city estimates it costs homeowners roughly $8 a year.
Opponents of the program argued in court that it violates the First Amendment, “which prohibits government from forcing private individuals to sponsor other people’s campaign contributions.”
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Those opponents have stated they are “quite likely” to appeal Thursday’s decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Conversely, the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission touts Democracy Vouchers as a means to increasing transparency, accountability, and accessibility for how Seattle elections are financed.
