Many Seattleites know about democracy vouchers, but don’t know that they must vote yes on Proposition 1 by August 5 to renew the program for another 10 years.

Zipporah Ingram is a fellow with the Washington Bus and a junior at Concordia University studying Political Science. She was born in Kenya, but her home is Spokane, Washington where she found a love for community building. 

As someone from Eastern Washington, it’s easy to see the effects that democracy vouchers have had on everyone here in Seattle. I heard about them for the first time this year, as I was preparing to canvass for my internship. I was surprised to find that most people I talked to knew about democracy vouchers and the candidates.

Back in my hometown of Spokane, things are very different. There’s not a lot of people talking about politics. Billboards and posters cost a lot of money, and there’s no fund for small candidates to get them. Here, there is a natural platform for people to talk about politics - all residents get four $25 vouchers to donate to a local candidate of their choice. Every conversation about democracy vouchers surrounds me with little endorsements from everyday citizens: which candidates are getting your $100? Who are you supporting?

Democracy vouchers are funded through a small property tax that appears on our ballots every 10 years, and now is time that we must vote to renew the program. If Seattle votes yes on Proposition 1 in the August 5 primary, we can keep using our own tax dollars for tangible good in our community. For just $13 a year per household, we can make sure that Seattle can continue to elect candidates supported by the people, not just a few wealthy donors.

When I first learned about democracy vouchers, I read article after article about people who wouldn’t have been able to run for office without public funding. A diverse place like Seattle deserves a diverse leadership that reflects the people of the city. And Seattle is smart. We know that our representation at the local level has a huge impact on our daily lives - the environment, the atmosphere of the city, and the programs that help us thrive. Democracy vouchers ultimately support that dream. 

If someone is funded only by a group of millionaires, and only cares about making life easier for them, they are not a true representative of the community. Washington’s billionaires have made it clear that they care only about making more money, even if it means breaking down small businesses, gentrifying neighborhoods, and getting tax cuts for themselves while raising taxes on the rest of us. If their money goes unchecked in politics, wealthy people can bulldoze over our communities, and leave whenever they feel like it. We can’t afford to lose our community to the few people who are willing to use us and our government for their own lucrative gains.

Democracy vouchers give me hope in a time when the world seems to be getting scarier and scarier. When there is something that I can do easily in our own local government, it reminds me how many of us are actively invested in caring for each other. Yes, the country is going a bit crazy, but in our local community we have a stronghold where we are actively doing something for regular citizens. I tell people at their doors: it might be just $100, but down the street, your neighbor is also giving $100. Together, we have got this.

Many Seattleites know about democracy vouchers, but don’t know that they must vote yes on Proposition 1 by August 5 to renew the program for another 10 years. So in the next few weeks, choose to be invested in your local politics, know what’s going on, and use your vouchers to talk about democracy with your neighbors. In another 10 years, who knows? It could be you or I who ends up using those vouchers as a candidate instead of a resident.

Paid for by Yes on Prop 1 Seattle, 1801 12th Ave Ste A, Seattle, WA 98122 -Top 5 contributors:

Stand Up America, Pro-Democracy Campaign, Washington Community Alliance Action Fund, End Citizens United, and Washington Bus Education Fund