Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell pushes for another decade of democracy vouchers

If you’ve voted in a Seattle City election since 2017, you may have used a bright blue, democracy voucher to donate to local candidates.

The vouchers come in increments of $25.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell says he wants to see the program continue for another 10 years.

Harrell's push to renew Democracy Vouchers comes as the program faces a potential sunsetting. In 2015, Seattle voters approved an initiative to establish the program and fund it with $30 million from a property tax. Without a renewal, the program will end.

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During an event on Monday, Harrell called democracy vouchers a "local success story" and underscored Seattle's role as the first city in the country to adopt this campaign financing tool.

"Renewing this program shows Seattle's commitment to ensuring that all voices, regardless of income or background, have a role to play in our democracy to help the future of our city in this area," Harrell said.

According to Harrell's office, more than 106,000 residents have used democracy vouchers since the program's inception. More than $10 million have been distributed to candidates.

The voucher program has made races more diverse and competitive, too, Harrell said.

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“Democracy vouchers as a tool have allowed more people to participate in campaign financing in our city, making the political process more accessible and inclusive," he said.

Under the mayor’s proposal, the next decade of vouchers would be paid for through a $45 million property tax measure; he estimates this would cost the owner of the average Seattle home about $12 dollars a year.

Harrell's re-election campaign is accepting democracy vouchers ahead of the August primary.

The renewal proposal now goes to the Seattle City Council before voters are asked to determine the future of the program again.