Sponsored by: Rachel Ozretich and the Democratic Party of Oregon Elections Integrity Caucus Approved: 04/15/2017
A RESOLUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OREGON
A RESOLUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OREGON in support of passage of HB 2578 by the 2017 Oregon State Legislature establishing Small Donor Funded Elections program. WHEREAS, large campaign contributions have an indisputable influence on our elections, especially statewide elections, and growing numbers of ordinary people feel that their voices are not being heard; and WHEREAS, wealthy candidates, or those with wealthy supporters, have a huge advantage over other candidates; and WHEREAS, all holders of statewide offices are spending very large amounts of time dialing for dollars, and thus limiting the time available for meaningful engagement with their constituents; and WHEREAS, certain strategies for public funding of elections have been found to make it possible for community leaders who are not wealthy, and who do not have wealthy supporters, to run for office successfully; and WHEREAS, a practice of matching small donations received by specific candidates with a multiplied donation of public funds (a “small donor match”) has been shown to be successful in allowing non-wealthy candidates to run for, and successfully compete for, election to public office; and WHEREAS, such programs have successfully increased the diversity of the candidate pool and of elected officials; and WHEREAS, partial public funding of elections is believed to increase citizen engagement, increase the diversity of voices that are heard, and increases confidence in elections; WHEREAS, the bill HB 2578 in the 2017 legislature calls for Small Donor Funded Elections for statewide races, in which a candidate would need to raise a specific minimum dollar amount in small donations in order to qualify for the match in public funds; and WHEREAS, for every dollar raised in small donations by a qualifying candidate, there would be a $6 match from public funds, from the Small Donor Funded Elections Fund established in the State Treasury, separate and distinct from the General Fund; NOW, THEREFORE, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OREGON RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The State Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Oregon strongly supports the passage of HB 2578 (Small donor matching) by the 2017 Oregon State Legislative session
