The November 2024 election cycle in Portland has shown promising results for the city’s Small Donor Election program, despite facing significant financial constraints and an extensive political landscape.
According to an analysis conducted by the city’s independent elections commission, the program met its objectives of creating a fair, equitable, and inclusive democracy.
“[The program] continued to make impressive progress in its metrics toward a democracy that is fair, reflective, equitable, and inclusive,” stated the Portland Election Commission report.
Established in 2016, the Small Donor Election program aims to diminish the influence of wealthy contributors in local elections. It incentivizes candidates who refuse donations exceeding $350 per donor by providing them public funding. Individual donations below $20 receive public matching at an impressive 9-to-1 ratio, allowing a $5 donation to become $50.
However, the program saw challenges during last year’s election. The first election under Portland’s new governance structure, which increased City Council seats from five to 12, attracted nearly 120 candidates for various offices. Out of the candidates vying for council positions, 54 qualified for matching funds, a stark increase from just seven candidates in 2022. As a result of this influx, funding limits were imposed for the public money each candidate could access.
The imposition of funding limits raised alarms among the elections commission and candidates alike, who feared that such restrictions could enable affluent donors to regain undue influence in the electoral process.
Surprisingly, those fears did not materialize, as reported on Tuesday.
“Despite significant funding constraints, many worked diligently to secure broad-based support through small contributions, resulting in continued improvement in key indicators of democratic health,” the report concluded.
The report attributes these positive outcomes partially to candidates’ immense efforts to distinguish themselves in a uniquely competitive election environment.
In a notable shift from previous cycles, candidates who focused on smaller contributions began to emerge victorious. This marked a departure from earlier patterns where the candidates with the highest average contributions tended to win. For instance, in 2022, former Commissioner Rene Gonzalez clinched victory with an average contribution of $104, ultimately surpassing then-Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, whose average contribution was around $55.
In contrast, the 2024 election saw candidates with significant average contributions, such as Gonzalez, falling short of their competition. Gonzalez averaged $131 in his mayoral campaign, while Mayor Keith Wilson enjoyed an average contribution of only $70 and yet emerged victorious.
“Perhaps the most important change in campaign finance data from 2020 to now is that candidates who focus on small contributions are now winning elections,” the report emphasized.
Susan Mottet, who oversees the Small Donor Election program, expressed satisfaction with these developments.
“The part I was most excited about was that in combination with the government reforms, the program works better to achieve its goal,” she noted.
Under the democratic reforms enacted in 2024, which required candidates to represent one of the city’s four districts rather than running citywide, Mottet suggested that financial burdens for winning campaigns would likely decrease.
The report corroborated this theory, indicating that lower average contributions have enabled broader participation from the lower-income demographic.
“We know demographically that once you get to $100 average contributions, donors start to skew very white, affluent, male, homeowning… a teeny percentage of Portlanders,” Mottet remarked.
By keeping average donations closer to $30, more ordinary Portlanders can now influence local elections.
Additionally, candidates were reported to be collecting donations more evenly across city neighborhoods, rather than predominantly coming from wealthier areas.
The analysis also addressed concerns raised during the previous election cycle, which saw some candidates engaging in donation trades or using their businesses to solicit funds for maximizing city funding. While there remains an open investigation into these practices by the Oregon Secretary of State’s office, the commission described these actions as “creative fundraising strategies” stemming from underfunding.
Undoubtedly, the report highlights that funding limitations are the most crucial issue facing the program.
“Over time, underfunding will diminish the effectiveness of the program, the quality of our democracy, and public trust in our government,” it cautioned, urging city leaders to provide sustainable funding for the program.
While the Portland City Council has fully funded the Small Donor Election program in the current budget, there are no guarantees for future fiscal support.
Without sufficient funding, Mottet warned that the program would likely become “half funded” ahead of the city council election scheduled for November 2026, though she remains optimistic about maintaining the current budget.
image source from：opb
