Statewide Campaign Finance Reform Tour to Kick-off in September

CORVALLIS -- The Oregon Legislature passed multiple landmark campaign finance reform bills during the 2019 Legislative Session to reduce the impact of big money in politics.

 

Representative Dan Rayfield (D -- Corvallis), one of the key legislators leading the charge for campaign finance reform, will now travel the state in September to host a series of forums that will allow Oregonians to weigh in on the next steps for campaign finance reform in Oregon.

 

"We made real progress on campaign finance reform during the session, but it's not enough," said Rayfield. "We need to do more in 2020 and I want to hear directly from Oregonians on what they want their campaign finance system to look like."

 

Oregon is one of five states without campaign contribution limits.

 

"This statewide tour can drive local campaign finance conversations and energize the legislature to pass contribution limits, which we support," said Rebecca Gladstone, President of the League of Women Voters of Oregon.  

 

Rayfield will be joined by election policy experts who will kick-off the forum with a 20-minute presentation on the history and political dynamics of campaign finance reform in Oregon. The presentation will be followed by a 20-minute discussion of the recently passed campaign finance reform legislation. The forum will conclude with a 40-minute community discussion on the various campaign finance limit goals and proposals.  

 

During the 2019 Legislative session, Rayfield brought together and led a 40-plus member group to develop a comprehensive campaign finance reform package to reduce the impact on money in Oregon politics. The Legislature passed three reform bills:

 

 

One of the four bills the group worked on was a campaign finance limits bill.  The details of the bill were still being debated when the session ended.  Rayfield and members of the workgroup hope to continue the momentum and discussion on campaign contribution limits during the 2020 Legislative Session.                        

 

"I got my start in politics as a 19-year-old volunteer gathering signatures outside of a grocery store to put campaign finance limits into law," said Rayfield.  "There is nothing I would like more than to complete this personal journey during the 2020 Legislative Session."

 

The campaign finance forums will be held at the following locations and times: