Pete Sorenson
Lane County Commissioner
speaking on his proposed
OREGON VOTER-OWNED ELECTIONS ACT
Thursday, January 17th, 5 p.m.
at Ric’s Posto Bella
161 Anderson Avenue, Coos Bay
free admission
Lane County Commissioner Pete Sorenson will speak in Coos Bay, 5 p.m. Thursday, January 17th, at Ric’s Posto Bella,161 Anderson Avenue,
Commissioner Sorenson will talk about a new idea that he hopes to persuade the Oregon legislature to take up during the current term of the Oregon Legislature.
The new idea is “VOTER-OWNED ELECTIONS.” In voter-owned elections, candidates ask registered voters to sign their petition and give them five dollars. After they get one per cent of the registered voters to do that, they become “voter-owned,” and the funds needed to run for public office are provided to them by the elections commission. Candidates are freed from the relentless job of raising money from contributors, and from dependence upon big business and special interests. Voters get more face-to-face contact with candidates. Using this system, anyone who can get one percent of the voters to back them can become a viable candidate. The system is optional; candidates are not required to participate. Voter-owned elections has been adopted and are working well in Portland, Oregon, Maine and Arizona,
Pete Sorenson is graduate of North Bend High School and Southwestern Oregon Community College. He holds a JD degree from University of Oregon, and was an attorney in private practice in Eugene for 15 years. He was an Oregon State Senator for four years, and was a candidate for Governor.
