PDC goes on the road, seeks input on campaign finance issues

Commission to review updates and take comment on campaign finance and lobbying disclosure rules, discuss trends in how campaigns and local governments communicate with voters, and hear enforcement cases

June 14, 2023 

The Washington State Public Disclosure Commission is meeting in Spokane on Thursday, June 22, as part of its commitment to hear directly from voters and members of the regulated community alike about how to improve public understanding of money in politics.

The meeting is open to the public, and the PDC is encouraging elected officials, lobbyists, members of political groups and anyone else interested in political disclosure to attend. 

“We want to bring home the PDC’s work to ensure transparency in Washington campaign spending. That’s why the Commission is heading to Spokane this month to discuss and get input on the many issues at play in campaign finance and lobbying disclosure today,” said Commission Chair Fred Jarrett. 

Topics on the meeting's agenda include a discussion about implementing new legislation regarding grassroots lobbying disclosure, a presentation on the latest digital political advertising research, a briefing about concerns regarding bond and levy communications that led to two recent settlements with school districts, and a conversation about possible legislative proposals. 

In addition to those discussions, the Commission will hear enforcement cases involving elected officials who have failed to file their annual personal financial disclosures for multiple years. 

It will also consider the case of a current Spokane City Councilman who seeks the Commission’s decision on whether he needs to identify the individual donors who gave their permission to transfer their contributions to his 2020 campaign for state House to his 2021 campaign for council.

Last month, the Commission issued formal guidance to campaigns to attribute leftover contributions transferred from a prior campaign for a different office and apply them toward the contributor’s contribution limits to the new campaign. That guidance was issued after the transfers in this PDC case took place. 

The business portion of the meeting is set to begin at noon on June 22 at the Spokane Convention Center at 334 West Spokane Falls Blvd, with an adjournment expected at 4:30 p.m. and a reception to follow.  

For updated information on the agenda as the meeting approaches, visit the PDC’s online calendar.