Seattle Election
—Benefits career politicians and insiders—
—Easy to game / Easy money from taxpayers—
By Jesse A. James (June 4, 2025)
As Seattle's ‘Democracy Voucher’ program approaches it’s renewal election, and effective 10 year test, it is time to reexamine its worth and priority amongst the rest of the city budget. Passed via direct democracy in 2015, and originally launching in 2017 for the City Attorney and the two at-large City Council races, the property-tax funded vouchers went on to be used for all city elections. The goal was to sideline the influence of big money in politics. Let’s take a look into how this program has worked over the last decade.
While the mission started out promising enough during the first couple of election cycles, with a slight boost in electoral enthusiasm, 2021 seemed to be a tipping point, and the program has since devolved more and more into a wasteful endeavor, consuming valuable time, effort, and resources.
In 2023, a paltry 4.72% of voucher recipients actually used their vouchers, with the remainder ending up in the trash.
In its current state, the program primarily benefits career politicians and insiders, while grassroots candidates struggle to capitalize on the opportunity. Well-known incumbents easily meet the program's requirements of obtaining 400 ten-real-dollar donations and completing the necessary paperwork, whereas small-scale candidates find themselves unable to meet the requirements in time to receive the vouchers.
This uneven playing field not only perpetuates the political status quo but also undermines the program's original mission. One could even make the claim that the program favors candidates who represent richer people and communities, as the requirement is individual donations, not the standard signatures.
A prime example of the system's shortcomings can be seen in the case of the former Seattle City Council staffer, and 2021 mayoral candidate "Ace the Architect." Despite a seemingly passionate platform highlighting his identity as a Queer, Black, Latino architect, Ace's campaign primarily served as a vehicle to exploit the Democracy Voucher program for personal gain.
Hiring the political consulting firm Prism, Ace's team employed questionable strategies to collect voucher money on his behalf. Prism employees set up tables in public spaces, urging passersby to "help the homeless" by donating their vouchers. They would print vouchers on the spot and convince individuals to sign them over to Prism and Ace.
Through this manipulative tactic, Ace amassed a staggering $346,325 in vouchers, a substantial portion of which was paid to Prism for their services. In a disheartening turn of events, Ace received a mere 2.7% of the vote (5,485 total — 7th place), indicating that the majority of voucher contributors did not ultimately cast their ballots for him.
It should also be noted that, at the time, Ace also ceased paying rent on his Capitol Hill apartment, accumulating over $20,000 in back rent while working full-time for the Seattle City Council on top of running his architecture firm.
2021 also saw unsung candidate Kate Martin attempt to challenge Teresa Mosqueda. Martin was the most well-known and experienced in the large cast of ‘small fry’ candidates (myself included) gunning for that 2nd spot in the primary. She spent the entire primary season going door to door to try and fill the sizable individual donation requirement for receiving the vouchers.
Martin did manage to qualify for the public campaign money, but right at the end of the primary — only to be defeated for the 2nd spot by Kenneth Wilson, a candidate who wasn’t participating in Democracy Vouchers, and by most estimations, won purely on the strength of his Voter’s Pamphlet entry.
Mosqueda was the only candidate in the race to use vouchers; a whopping $268,200 worth, for a race she ultimately won by over 20 points.
There is ample opportunity for grassroots participation without having taxpayers fund candidates. Look at former CM Kshama Sawant’s 2019 campaign disclosures. She reported receiving over $586 thousand in contributions. The report reveals many, many individual contributions for less than $20.00.
This is a testimony to the real ability of people collectively amplifying their voices. At the same time, Seattle's exclusive campaign rules discourage political association.
Despite her ability to raise a lot money from willing supporters, Sawant still supports the voucher program — anything to pull more money away from taxpayers!
Our hard-earned money should not be funneled into the pockets of self-serving politicians, grifters, and consultants. The Democracy Voucher program has been given ample opportunity to prove its efficacy, and it has fallen woefully short. Now, we must learn from its shortcomings and seek alternative solutions that genuinely empower Seattle's diverse range of voices. Join me in voting NO to 10 more years of this hollow, expensive, democratic virtue signal of a program.
Jesse A. James lives in Seattle and is running for city council Position 8. He serves on Cascade Party board of directors in position 7/9. He has run for US House in the 7th CD. James is also a Rock musician.
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