You can help bring an equal say to Oakland’s elections and drive a political process that truly represents the interests and priorities of our communities.
Save the date and register now to join us on Wednesday, March 2nd for a conversation and upcoming opportunities to bring equal voice to our local elections. Our panel of experts will share information on how we can break down the money barrier to elected seats so that more community-backed candidates can run and win in Oakland. Executive Director, liz suk, will also be on the panel providing her perspective as an Oaklander.
Wealthy interests have dominated recent elections, with corporate groups and even out-of-state billionaires opposing progressive candidates and pouring millions into local races. When wealthy donors can swing an election, it’s harder for the rest of us to elect folks who reflect our diversity and our values. People of color, working class people, and first-time candidates face an uphill battle. We can’t allow big money to set the agenda and rig the rules in their favor. It’s time to level the playing field in Oakland!
We’ll also talk with leaders from Seattle, where voters approved a “democracy dollars” program of publicly-funded vouchers to donate to candidates running for local office. This program is giving more candidates a chance to run for office and win, and voters of all backgrounds and income levels the ability to donate to candidates who truly reflect the interests of our working-class communities.
We will not allow this “dollarocracy” to determine the way our town runs any longer – it’s time to give the power back to the people and let us decide the political and economic future of our town, our home. Register today and help support a movement that will balance our democracy back to the people and serve our generations for years to come.
About us: Bay Area Political Equality Collaborative (BayPEC) was formed in 2018 to harness the energy and expertise of the many groups working to reform the campaign finance system and build political power in the Bay Area. BayPEC includes Oakland Rising; the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California; Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus; Bay Rising; CA Common Cause; League of Women Voters – Oakland; and MapLight. Our priority is to engage local groups focused on organizing and building power among low-income communities and communities of color. BayPEC is focused on advancing small donor public financing as a tool to empower politically underrepresented communities.