A plan for voter-owned elections by guest columnist Bob Ferguson
...For many good citizens who contemplate running for office, the challenge of fundraising is an insurmountable obstacle. But now, there is an alternative. The Washington state Legislature has passed a bill allowing local jurisdictions to enact public campaign financing.
The Seattle Times 4/30/08

Cleaning up Elections by Geov
It didn’t make any local media reports. But last Friday, a deal was struck in the state legislature that could fundamentally change how elections are held in Seattle.
The deal concerned two identical bills with different numbers that had been overwhelm-ingly passed by the Senate (29-20) and the House (56-38). Because the bills had different numbers, one had to be passed by the other chamber, by this week, in order to be forwarded to the governor’s desk for her signature. And the Senate version, championed by the venerable Sen. Rosa Franklin, won out. (It’s amazing how much of Olympia’s legislative process comes down to personalities. It’s like middle school on steroids.) Gov. Gregoire is expected to sign it into law... Horse's Ass Blog 2/25/2008 

Barrier to Entry by Erica C. Barnett
For a concept that just makes such good sense, public financing of campaigns has a rocky history here in Washington State. Ever since 1992—when voters passed an initiative that prohibited public financing—local elections have become ever more expensive, rising from an average of around $50,000 to more than $300,000 for city council and mayoral races. Last year, council candidate Tim Burgess broke all previous local fundraising records for council races, collecting a whopping $353,000, including more than $85,000 of his own money. Mayor Greg Nickels, meanwhile, raised $537,000, and already has a $129,000 jump on his 2009 campaign.
All of this presents real barriers to entry for new candidates, people without connections, and those who aren't already wealthy... The Stranger 2/27/08

Bill marks tax money for public campaigns The state Senate passed a measure Wednesday to let cities, counties and other local governments use tax dollars to help pay for campaigns for public office, but only if voters approve...
The Olympian 2-14-08

Letter to the Editor, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
1-4-08 Gridlock caused by moneybags ...Gridlock is not because of partisanship but because of who rules the parties and that would be the big contributors to the parties and their campaigns. Alternative parties can still be used as mouthpieces for the special interests. A party privately funded by a gazillionaire is not an independent party.
We need to change the source of the money and allow candidates of merit to compete with their new ideas, even though they are not wealthy or well-connected. Public campaign funding will level the playing field, doesn't invoke First Amendment issues and is working now in seven states and two cities... Marcee Stone, Washington Public Campaigns

What Does Brown Bear Want From City Council? A ban on washing your car at home wouldn’t hurt...
The list of the top 20 contributors to last year's City Council candidates is mostly made up of the usual suspects: real-estate moguls, unions, and public-affairs consultants — political animals not afraid to make their wishes known to, and who expect the ear of, City Hall. But there's one guy on this list who doesn't fit...Brown Bear Car Wash owner Vic Odermat.
Seattle Weekly 4/30/08

Independent Groups plow millions into Iowa races Spurred by a recent Supreme Court decision, independent political groups are using their financial muscle and organiztional clout as never before to influence the presidential race, pumping money and troops into early nominating states on behalf of their favored candidates...
Seattle Times 1-1-08

Lawmakers play favorites; local merchant loses out Doug Hoschek sells the Army's elite Special Forces a T-shirt that resists burning — a feature that can save the lives of soldiers under fire...
Another company, InSport International, snagged the T-shirt contracts without having to compete.
InSport had lobbied members of Congress for an "earmark" — federal dollars lawmakers direct to favor-seekers, often campaign donors.
Seattle Times 12-18-07

More Letters to the Editor
7-15-07 Voter-owned elections deserve wide support (excerpt)
As a volunteer with Washington Public Campaigns, I thank Hugh Geenen for his guest column in support of publicly financed campaigns (P-I, 7-11)...
What I still can't understand is why our Legislature stands in the way of permitting local jurisdictions to have their own system of publicly financed campaigns...If a city, county or public utility district want to institute a system of publicly financed campaigns, they should be permitted to. Perhaps our Legislature is afraid of this populist notion even getting a toehold in the public's imagination. Every year since 1992, legislation is written and introduced but never even gets to a vote on the floor.
When 44 people show up to support Clean Elections at a single hearing in Olympia this year but are not allowed to speak — who are our representatives working for?...Ask your legislators to repeal the ban on local publicly funded campaigns. Change the status quo with public dough. ~
Marcee Stone, President of the Board, Washington Public Campaigns, Seattle

Campaign for candidates who vow to run 'clean' (excerpt)
"As a community activist, I am grateful for Chris McGann's research into lobbying dollars spent in Olympia (P-I, July 2). "These are your unelected officials in a way, because they are so influential ... in developing, passing or killing bills," said the Center for Public Integrity.
We seem to be divided...those of us who realize that our democracy is for sale to the highest bidder and are too discouraged to do anything about it, and those who are so angry that they feel they must do something about it. I'm in the latter camp.
This unwarranted power means we won't have health care for everyone because health care providers, insurers and Big Pharma are collectively the biggest gorilla in Olympia..." ~ Sarajane Siegfriedt
Seattle P-I  7-11-07

"Marianne Means' June 28 column, "If you're not rich or famous, don't bother running for president," acknowledges the corrupting effect of our current campaign financing system...But her conclusion that public funding of campaigns is dead is entirely premature...
We can have this as soon as the public wakes up. And the increasingly obscene funding of campaigns is just the wake-up call America needs..."
Read the whole letter by Ken Dammand
Seattle P-I 7-6-07 

Opinion
Publicly owned elections better for all  by Hugh Geenen
"Elections currently are being paid for by one-quarter of 1 percent of eligible voters. The demographic of the current election-owning class, that is, those giving $200 or more for their candidates, is a white male of the business community. It strains credulity to expect that this narrow demographic might represent interests that cover the whole of U.S. society — or of Seattle's..."
Seattle Post-Intelligencer  7-11-07

News
Lobbying is big business in WA State Washington is sixth in U.S. for spending by special interest groups to influence lawmakers.
Seattle P-I   7-02

Colby Underwood and Me  Crosscut gives us a glimpse of the inside story of Seattle political fundraising. 5-16-07

UW law professor examines judicial public financing
Professor of Law, William Anderson, discusses the need for fair judicial elections in this Seattle Times Op-Ed. 3-12-07

Who should pay for campaigns?
Wa State Rep. Mark Miloscia says that public financing of all election campaigns is the only way to put an end to legalized bribery in a Tacoma News Tribune op-ed. 1-21-07

Edtorial: dirty elections in WA State
Kate Riley discusses the huge amounts of money flowing to judicial candidates.
Seattle Times 11-14-06

Bills Would Create Public Financing of Legislative Campaigns
By Kelly Wilson, Capital News Service
ANNAPOLIS - In an attempt to limit the influence of money in state politics, legislation before the Maryland General Assembly would give candidates the option of running publicly financed campaigns.
Modeled after similar laws in Maine and Arizona, the Public Campaign Financing Act is intended to limit the effect of lobbyists and wealthy interests on candidates' campaigns.
The law would bring "ordinary people" who are not able to donate large sums of money back into the political process, said Nick Nyhart, president and CEO of the advocacy group Public Campaign.
Hometown Annapolis 2-28-08

Five Reasons for Public Financing
The election year hasn't even begun, but the nation's political system is already awash in record amounts of money, much of it spent to buy influence.
In other times, this would have evoked outrage. But candidates have grown so dependent on the money that all but a few stand mute — afraid to push the obvious remedy, public financing of elections.
USA Today 12-10-07

Alan Simpson keeps high profile  "'...all donors are "giving for one singular purpose: access.' Contributions lead to all sorts of pork projects being put into the budget, he said. 'Everyone was involved with it'"....
Jackson Hole Star Tribune 8-19-07

Public financing would mean cheaper elections "We can either pay for election campaigns directly... or we will pay for them indirectly, as we do...every time we all have to pick up the tab for another favor our elected officials do for their biggest campaign donors."
CommonDreams.org 8-26-07

My View: Time to clean up elections
Opinion from New York, supporting public campaign funding.
Metro NY 8-15-07

Clearing the Air
Editorial supporting public campaign proposals in New Jersey.
NJ.com (may contain advertising) 8-14-07

NC lawmakers approve expanding public campaign financing
Lawmakers agreed to expand the state's voluntary public campaign financing program to cover three more statewide races next year.
Charlotte Observer 8-2-07

Public financing OK'd for Chapel Hill elections A bill passed by the North Carolina state Senate 35-9.  News & Observer 7-20-07

ue of Women Voters urges public campaigns for Portland city races
Democracy Reform Oregon 7-12-07

Full Public Financing in the Age of the Roberts Supreme Court  How the June 25th ruling against campaign reform affects the present state & local laws...good news. Public Campaigns.org

Court opens door for wealthy interest groups...Should corporations, unions and others with deep pockets be able to spend millions to influence elections, even though there's widespread agreement that special-interest money is corrupting politics and government?
USA Today 6-25-07

Judge comments on judicial public financing system
Judge Bryant discusses Washington's recent effort and examines the North Carolina system.
Seattle P-I  Op-Ed. 3-19-07

"Fair elections now at the Federal Level" Democracy Matters, information & opinion addressing college students. 3-07

New York Gov. Spitzercalls for public financing of state elections
Governor Eliot Spitzer makes sweeping ethics proposals, including public financing of state election campaigns. 1-3-07

Maine Republican legislator evaluates their public financing system
Republican Op-Ed offers an opinion on Maine's ground-breaking public election financing program. 9-19-06