Regarding the article on democracy vouchers [“City candidates already on hunt for Seattle ‘democracy vouchers,’ Feb. 2, NWThursday]. I really hope people read the facts that came with the vouchers. I sent mine back to the city and I used a black Sharpie to cross out the bar codes so that they could not be used.
When I voted to keep out big corporation donations to candidates, I actually thought that was what I was voting for. Silly me! The confusing wording of the initiative, in my opinion, led me to vote for it, not knowing that when one sends those vouchers back for any candidate, your name, address, etc. will become public information. Why? Because you just made a political donation and those who do are now part of the public disclosure of all donors, no matter how small your donation is.
So, in my opinion, I think the large donors should be made public, let’s say over $1,000 or even $5,000. But for 25 bucks? Insane. The article did not mention this. I think if more people knew that, then they would feel differently about using the vouchers.
Rita Martinez, Seattle