Multnomah County is on the lookout for at least eight civic-minded individuals to join the new Public Campaign Financing Implementation Advisory Committee. The county aims to set up a public campaign financing program for those eyeing Multnomah County elected offices by November 2026. These residents, representing each of the four districts within the county, will have the opportunity to shape the future of local elections. The committee members are expected to meet twice a month from November 2024 through March 2025, as detailed in an announcement from Multnomah County.
The Advisory Committee, as announced by the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, has the task to not only develop but also put forward a set of recommendations detailing how to best implement public financing for campaigns. The hope is to have these measures in place before the 2026 General Election. The team will meet regularly to craft these suggestions and lay out a timeline, which the Board of Commissioners will then have the chance to push forward into the implementation stage.
The call for applications is open through Monday, Oct. 28, and those interested are encouraged to apply or to seek more information by emailing [email protected]. Eligible applicants must live or work within Multnomah County and be able to attend the two-hour group meetings scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 pm twice per month. Applicants can determine their district of residence by visiting the county's website.
In an effort to make participation as accessible as possible, the county is offering financial stipends for committee attendance. Additional support to enable full participation include, but are not limited to, interpretation services in preferred languages. Committee members are also expected to possess experience working collaboratively across diverse opinions, as they look to confront and, potentially, to fundamentally change the influence of money in local politics. The program follows the lead of Portland’s Small Donor Elections program, which aims to empower candidates reflective of and accountable to the community by amplifying the impact of small local donations with public funds.
