swetherson's blog

Last fall, Portland voters said “no!” to a million-dollar, business-backed campaign for mayor. This spring, the City Council showed us they heard the message and passed a campaign reform measure – voter-owned elections. Now, candidates have a way to run for office without relying on big-money donors.

Voter-owned elections reduces the power of special interests and wealthy campaign contributors and instead gives the power to ordinary voters. And that’s exactly why the special interests are trying to repeal it. They have lost influence, and they want to get it back.

Opponents of voter-owned elections have a lot to loose, and that’s why they will undoubtedly go to great lengths to protect their ability to invest in City Hall. While they have deep pockets to buy mail and airtime to get out their deceptive messages, they can’t match our grassroots power.