You have until November to put your Seattle Democracy Vouchers to work but you don’t want to wait that long. Candidates — especially political upstarts — need that cash as soon as possible to fund campaigns and power their way to victory.

The city’s program is unique and might feel a little complicated but look at your $100 in certificates as the potential to give the candidates you support a chance now so you can vote for them later. While the August primary is still five months off, the surge of early candidates in Seattle City Hall’s three big 2021 races has a lot to do with the power of the voucher program which is being extended to include the mayor’s race for the first time this year.

The program, first used in 2017, is funded by $3 million in annual property taxes raised by the city, which allow each voter to receive four $25 vouchers each election cycle that they can sign over to any qualifying candidate in Seattle to help fund their campaigns.

CHS reported here on the important role the vouchers played in 2019’s hugely expensive run for the Kshama Sawant’s District 3 seat.

The mayoral race has not been eligible for the program but in 2021, the voucher fundraising limits are higher and the program will have accumulated the funds necessary to power the additional campaigns.

Registered voters in Seattle should automatically receive the $100 in vouchers in the mail or you’ll get an email early next year if you register for the online program. Seattle residents who are at least 18 and are either a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or a lawful permanent resident can apply for vouchers here. You can request replacement vouchers here.

1. Don’t lose them: Registered Seattle voters can use the four $25 a piece vouchers through the end of November.
2. Make choices: Vouchers can be given to any participating candidate in the two citywide council races or the race for the mayor’s office. You can give all four of your vouchers to one candidate or you can engage in a little democratic roulette and spread the love around your favorite deserving candidates. The list of eligible recipients to-date is here.
3. Holding out for a hero: If you’re worried someone you really want to support might be a late entrant, hang onto a voucher for later in the race.
4. After the primary? You might also want to be super strategic and hang onto your voucher until after the primary to help back your preferred candidate out of the top two who go through. But keep in mind that candidates have spending limits that determine how many vouchers they can redeem and that the voucher might not be useful as support climbs behind the smaller set of candidates.
5. Please print clearly. You can cash in your Democracy Vouchers directly to a candidate’s campaign, to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, or by dropping them off at one of the designated locations. Vouchers must have your signature and the candidate’s name clearly written to be processed. Drop off locations and email addresses for the program can be found here.
6. No paper: You can also access your vouchers online. English speakers can go to democracyvoucher.seattle.gov to move your voucher account online and participate without paper.

Registered voters in Seattle should automatically receive the $100 in vouchers in the mail — or online if you have registered. Seattle residents who are at least 18 and are either a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or a lawful permanent resident can apply for vouchers here. You can request replacement vouchers here.

More information is available at seattle.gov/democracyvoucher.

PLEASE HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE!
Subscribe to CHS to help us pay writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for as little as $5 a month.