CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to publicly-financed election campaigns; providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City at an election to be held on August 5, 2025, of a proposition authorizing the City to levy regular property taxes for up to ten years in excess of the limitation on levies in chapter 84.55 RCW for the purpose of funding the cost and administration of the City's Democracy Voucher program and other City purposes; outlining a process for contemplation of changes to the program; applying RCW 84.36.381's senior citizens and disabled persons exemption to such levy; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
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WHEREAS, in November 2015, Seattle voters approved Initiative 122, a people's initiative designed to build "honest elections in the City...by: giving more people an opportunity to have their voices heard in our democracy"; and
WHEREAS, Initiative 122 also created "a Democracy Voucher campaign public finance program...to expand the pool of candidates for city offices and to safeguard the people's control of the elections process in Seattle"; and
WHEREAS, the levy backing the Democracy Voucher campaign public finance program began in 2015 and lasted for ten years; and
WHEREAS, the Democracy Voucher program has been successful and popular, with more than 105,000 Seattleites using Democracy Vouchers to contribute to candidates for City office since the program's inception; and
WHEREAS, Seattle has had among the highest rates of people contributing to local candidates in the country since the program's inception; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle intends to place a levy proposal on the August 5, 2025, primary election ballot to replace the expiring levy that has supported the Democracy Voucher program, in order to continue to provide financial support for the program for the next ten years; and
WHEREAS, after ten years of use, changes to the Democrac...
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