City of Seattle Mayor videos

Mayor Bruce Harrell joins a coalition of community leaders and civic engagement organizations to announce his proposal to renew Seattle’s Democracy Voucher Program, which is expiring at the end of this year.

Created by voters in 2015 and implemented in the 2017 election cycle, the Democracy Voucher Program is a first-of-its-kind public campaign financing system which aims to increase participation, reduce the influence of big money in politics, and make the city's elections more accessible and transparent.

The program is administered by the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission (SEEC) which sends four $25 democracy vouchers to eligible residents during municipal election cycles. Residents then donate their vouchers to qualifying campaigns, which are redeemed for the assigned value.

Since the program’s inception, Seattle has had among the highest rates of people contributing to candidates in the country. More than 106,000 residents have contributed vouchers to candidates, distributing over $10 million to local campaigns through 2024.

The program is also popular with candidates running for city office and has led to more competitive races. Between 2017-2024, 76% of candidates who appeared on the primary election ballot and 89% of candidates on the general election ballot participated in the program.

Mayor Harrell’s proposal would renew the program by levying a $45 million property tax over 10 years, costing the median assessed value Seattle homeowner about $12.20 a year. The proposal has been transmitted to the City Council for consideration and referral to voters for the August primary.

If voters approve the ballot measure, the Mayor, City Council, and SEEC will convene a workgroup in early 2026 to make recommendations on program improvements to reach more residents in diverse communities and empower local campaigns by addressing the role of Political Action Committee (PACs) in municipal elections.

Speakers and attendees include:

Mayor Bruce Harrell, City of Seattle

Councilmember Bob Kettle, District 7, City of Seattle

Waldo Waldron-Ramsey, Political Director, Washington CAN

Cinthia Illan Vazquez, Executive Director, Washington Bus