Seattle’s ‘democracy vouchers’ violate free speech

Seattle resident Mark Elster, with the help of the Pacific Legal Foundation, is fighting a law in the city of Seattle that forces property owners to pay for the political speech of others. In 2015, voters enacted the nation’s first “democracy voucher” program.

Every resident in Seattle can receive four $25 vouchers, which can be given to qualifying candidates to spend on elections. Some in Seattle have called the democracy vouchers “free money.” But nothing is free. Instead, Seattle is taking money from property owners to fund the political speech of others.