2007 Election: $20 Raised Per Voter

Democracy Reform Oregon has issued a press release detailing the campaign spending for last week's special election. All told, the 4 campaigns on Measures 49 and 50 raised $19.55 for each voter in the election.

From the Oregonian:

Democacy Reform Oregon calculates four measure campaigns raised $19.55 for each ballot cast in last week's special election.

All told, supporters and opponents of the two ballot measures raised more than campaigns did for all 10 ballot measures in 2006. In both cases this year, the wealthier campaigns won.

Tobacco makers raised a record setting $11.8 million to successfully defeat Measure 50, which would have raised taxes on cigarettes to fund health care for kids. Supporters raised $3.6 million.

Supporters of Measure 49, a land-use proposal that passed, raised $4.8 million compared to opponents' $2.5 million.

The release(pdf) also details the top 10 contributors to each campaign and the role that smaller donations played. All four campaigns benefitted heavily from large donors, receiving at least 57% of their total funding from their top ten contributors.

Discuss.

Nov. 15, 2007 Posted in in the news 2007.