Democracy Vouchers and the Promise of Fairer Elections in Seattle (PLAC: Political Lessons from American Cities)

By: Jennifer A. Heerwig and Brian J. McCabe

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Synopsis: In 2017, Seattle inaugurated a new way for citizens to be involved in democracy: they introduced publicly financed vouchers for voters to donate to local candidates. The innovative plan is designed to level the playing field in campaign financing. Through the vouchers, residents allocate dollars to candidates of their choice in local elections, putting political money directly in the hands of voters. The intent is to increase political participation and ameliorate the long-standing representational inequalities of private donations. Democracy Vouchers and the Promise of Fairer Elections in Seattle critically evaluates the success and impact of this program. Jennifer Heerwig and Brian J. McCabe emphasize how local elections now attract a much wider and more diverse field of both donors and candidates. They also consider external threats to the program, from litigation about the constitutionality of a voucher program to the rise of independent expenditures. Offering important lessons on how other cities can adopt a similar program, this compelling case study also highlights the obstacles that will likely arise in its implementation.

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
Book Size:: 118 Pages
ISBN-13:: 9781439926260
Related ISBNs:: 9781439926253
Publisher:: Temple University Press
Date of Addition:: 09/03/24
Copyrighted By:: Temple University
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: Nonfiction, Law, Legal Issues and Ethics, Politics and Government, Sociology
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.