Public Financing in Portland: Should Voter-Owned Elections Survive?

Publication Date: October 2010

Publisher: Center for Governmental Studies

Author(s): Center for Governmental Studies

Research Area: Campaign Finance

Keywords: public campaign finance; expenditure ceilings ; clean elections; portland

Type: Report

Coverage: Oregon

Abstract:

This CGS report finds that Portland’s public campaign finance system has reduced the role of large campaign contributions, decreased overall campaign spending and benefitted from oversight by the Citizens Campaign Commission. On the other hand, candidate participation has been low to date, and some abuses have occurred. As a result, the report recommends that the law be maintained for several additional elections until it can be evaluated more thoroughly.