Sawant turns down Democracy Vouchers, challenger Yarce accepts

Nonprofit executive Beto Yarce is off to a quick start in his challenge to militant socialist Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant.

Yarce has collected the signatures and small donations needed to qualify for the city's Democracy Voucher program of public campaign financing..

Sawant has, however, refused to participate in the public campaign financing program approved by Seattle voters in 2015, which sets an overall $150,000,000 limit.

The incumbent used her customary plutocrats-at-the-door rationale. "The Democracy Voucher program is a progressive step forward but unfortunately, it's not designed for a race like ours where Amazon and the whole big business establishment is united against us," Sawant said in a statement.

"It does not prevent corporate PACs from overnight donating hundreds of thousands of dollars into the race to try to buy the election."

Sawant raised $463,000 for her 2015 race against civil rights leader Pamela Banks, outspending the challenger by $75,000. There were $39,000 in independent expenditures made against Sawant.

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