Current News

Less than five months from a historic election, Portland may tweak campaign finance rules to stretch the city’s cash-strapped public financing program.

Oregon’s richest man gave another $2 million to a political action committee that tries to elect Republicans.

Oregon Rep. Charlie Conrad said primary election results and Donald Trump's dominance drove him from the Republican party.

The field of mayoral hopefuls is nearing double digits less than five months before November's election.

To understand money's pernicious role, don’t think of candidates being bought by their donors. Think of the "Pyramid of Money."

In a surprise move, North Carolina Republican legislators unveiled legislation that would make important changes to state campaign finance law

Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade asked for the funding after lawmakers in March passed a historic campaign finance bill.

The money is a bit of unfinished business left after the Legislature's scramble to pass new regulations in March.

The Democratic Party of Oregon misreported the source of a $500,000 donation. State prosecutors are still deciding whether to investigate.

The May election offers a few glimpses into voters' conflicted state of mind about the direction of Multnomah County, the role of big money and growth, the editorial board writes.

In the primary election for the open mayor's seat, all of the leading Seattle candidates have opted in to raise public campaign funding from a wide range of city residents.

Seattle's "Democracy Voucher" program is being touted as a national model for campaign financing in articles and books, and even in Congress this year, where a version made its way into the Democrat's giant voting reform bill HR 1. But the results in this year’s August mayoral primary – which is the first time vouchers have ever been used in a Seattle mayor’s race-- were mixed.

After Oakland’s vote in November, proponents want democracy vouchers in other California cities.

Nearly three-quarters of Oakland voters (74%) approved an initiative in 2022 that took a comprehensive approach to campaign finance solutions in the city. However, one of its historic changes is in need of funding if it is going to be implemented by 2026; namely, its "democracy dollars" public finance system.

Very few Americans believe Congress is doing a good job. Some of them have a simple solution: Throw the bums out and institute term limits. But that creates more problems than it solves.

Three groups or individuals have contributed more than $1 million to Oregon campaigns since 2023.

Oregonians deserve to have the same equal rights to vote in Oregon's taxpayer-funded elections, whether or not they are affiliated with a political party, writes former congressional candidate Andrew Kalloch. That's why Oregonians should support Initiative Petition 16, which seeks to ensure that access.

With Washington state's candidate filing period over, there are now three Bob Fergusons running for governor.

Three Oregon Republicans running to control the state’s elections have all stoked false claims of voter fraud and indicated they want to end Oregon’s decades-long tradition of running elections by mail.

Speculation has swirled for months about what role the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, might play in the race to replace Congressman Earl Blumenauer.

To understand money's pernicious role, don’t think of candidates receiving briefcases of bribes. Think of the "Pyramid of Money."

The high-profile race has shattered fundraising records for the district attorney position in Oregon’s most populous county.

As a wave of nearly $3 million in dark money enters Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District race, voters are questioning the donors backing Maxine Dexter’s campaign, and whether the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is among them. A political action committee (PAC) known as 314 Action Fund, has spent $1.67 million to support Dexter's campaign. Dexter is a current state representative now seeking election to Congress. The PAC claims its mission is to elect Democrats...

strongFor the first time, state elections will have donor limits when HB 4024 is enacted in 2027./strong

Hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash and in-kind donations are pouring into the Salem City Council and mayoral races for the primary election.

House Bill 4024—a bill to limit campaign donations—passed through the Oregon State House of Representatives and Senate with bipartisan support and sailed right onto the Governor’s desk, where it was...

Advocates for a groundbreaking New York public campaign financing program await word of its funding level in the "Big Ugly" budget bill.

Virginia is one of 10 states with no contribution limits on individual donors to political candidates and one of just five with no limits on contributions by corporations.