Voter-Owned Elections seems simple enough, right? For Street Roots it is.
Voter-Owned Elections mean people-powered elections, and people-powered elections mean the ability for all Portlanders to have a seat at the table — the same table that creates, implements and drives our community’s future. From our children and schools, to working families on the dime, to newcomers and old-timers alike, and people struggling in poverty — it’s people living out their everyday lives, it’s all of us. Everyday people with a common cause to make the city we live the best it can be.
Under Portland’s Voter-Owned Elections program, candidates who run for city office must demonstrate community support by collecting $5 contributions from at least 1,000 registered voters. (Not an easy task.) Once they qualify, participating candidates are prohibited from spending or raising any money beyond limited public financing that they receive. They must follow strict rules about how money can be spent and can spend it only on legitimate campaign expenses.
According to Common Cause Oregon, in 2004, powerful special interests and lobbyists dumped $1,056,550 toward city races. Those contributions during the 2004 election cycle came from only 83 wealthy donors writing checks of $5,000 or more.
Some say the money used by the city for Voter-Owned Elections takes away from the homeless. Hogwash. Many of the interests coming out against Voter-Owned Elections have a history of demonizing the homeless and advocating for laws targeting people sleeping outdoors.
Street Roots has been dancing in and around the halls of power at City Hall for more than a decade. We know first hand that while our city government is great at listening and building partnerships for solutions, they also, at every turn, have to take the power brokers into account. Everything in politics is based upon real dollars and political capital. If you don’t have one or the other, you don’t have squat. Most common folk don’t have either. That’s why Voter-Owned Elections matter: it allows those who have historically been shut out of the process to have a stronger voice in City Hall.
When any group of people — neighborhoods, small businesses, working people, the poor, etc. — don’t have power, they must use the system which was created for them to take that power back. It’s called democracy.
Street Roots is proud partners with a broad base of community organizations in the Voter-Owned Elections “Yes on 26-108” campaign. It’s a no-brainer. If you look at the groups supporting this measure, it’s a reflection of the people that have the knowledge and resourcefulness to make Portland a city of the future. And that’s exactly what we’re talking about, our future. A future represented by innovative and smart, everyday Portlanders who believe that government is truly there to support the people.
We believe that in a healthy democracy there are candidates from the grassroots that have both the savvy and ability to become great future leaders of our city. Voting yes for Voter-Owned Elections is a winning formula, and a way to ensure that Portland remains a city that works, for the people. Vote yes this coming November for Voter-Owned Elections!