(The Center Square) – Seattle officials are considering a new guardrail for the city’s Democracy Voucher Program after a $25,000 outreach contract went to an organization whose board includes a candidate.
The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission awarded four $25,000 contracts to nonprofits this year to advertise the taxpayer-funded vouchers, including the Korean American Coalition of Washington. Julie Kang, a Seattle City Council candidate for District 5, is currently listed as “on leave” from the nonprofit’s board.
The program tries to take big money out of elections by letting residents donate $25-$50 vouchers to a campaign of their choice. It has benefited candidates across the political spectrum, but only 4.7% of residents used vouchers in 2023, when seven council districts were on the ballot instead of just one.
The outreach contracts are to boost participation, but SEEC didn’t realize Kang was on KAC-WA’s board when it first applied. The opportunity is limited to 501(c)(3)s, which are prohibited from partisan work, though some of the other contractors also have 501(c)(4)s involved in progressive political advocacy.
René LeBeau, who manages the Democracy Voucher Program, told The Center Square that the ethics commission became aware of Kang’s ties to KAC-WA before awarding the contract. SEEC asked Kang to stay away from the outreach work, but it was only a verbal commitment made over one phone call.
“We didn’t put anything in writing,” SEEC Executive Director Wayne Barnett told The Center Square, explaining that they learned about the connection before they “inked” the contract. “We assumed that if [Julie Kang] was out there doing advocacy work for the voucher program, we would hear about it.”
Kang told The Center Square she was unavailable for an interview until after the election because she is “spending all [her] time doorbelling and collecting vouchers.” The candidate explained via email that she took leave from KAC-WA and the board proactively to avoid conflicts of interest with the contract.
“Happy to meet after the elections since I’m spending all my time doorbelling and collecting vouchers myself. I do have a few students on my volunteer team who are able to collect on my behalf,” Kang wrote. “I took a leave when we heard that [KAC-WA was] being considered … I did not participate.”
LeBeau said Kang did not attend the initial outreach contractor training or the mid-year check-in with KAC-WA. Sam Cho, a Port of Seattle commissioner and president of KAC-WA’s board, was the ethics commission’s primary contact, though Cho has personally endorsed Kang and KAC-WA Treasurer Leah Long has donated to her campaign.
The program manager said she was not aware of Cho’s endorsement of Kang, noting that SEEC likely wouldn’t have any issue with what he does as an individual outside of KAC-WA. The outreach contract that Cho signed also explicitly states that nothing in it prohibits donations to campaigns for city office.
“That would be a question I would have to pose to my executive director,” LeBeau said when asked if SEEC takes issue with Cho’s support for Kang’s campaign, given KAC-WA’s outreach contract this year.
Neither Cho nor KAC-WA responded to The Center Square’s emails or interview request before publication.
When asked whether KAC-WA could tell residents during outreach that one of the candidates sits on its board, LeBeau said it “wouldn’t be appropriate,” since they are supposed to introduce every candidate.
She said contractors must provide SEEC with spreadsheets documenting the outreach work, invoices so the city can reimburse them afterward and a final report. LeBeau said SEEC would not check staff assignments or ensure adequate separation between political activities unless a complaint was raised.
She and Barnett told The Center Square that SEEC has not received any complaints about KAC-WA.
“I don’t believe we have ever been contacted with an allegation that one of our contractors is pushing candidates, and if we were, we would look into those allegations,” Barnett told The Center Square.
According to a contract obtained by The Center Square, KAC-WA told SEEC it would hold 12 outreach events, distribute 3,000 door hangers and 1,000 posters, provide 12 social-media posts and text 500 participants, among other things, like offering nonpartisan assistance to Korean and Spanish speakers.
LeBeau said the situation with Kang and KAC-WA was a first for the Democracy Voucher Program, with Barnett noting “it is difficult” and, separately, that District 5 has a sizable Korean American population.
When asked whether it would change what contractors must document, she said SEEC would consider adding a written nonparticipation requirement for candidates with ties to outreach contract applicants.
“It is something that we’re going to look at,” she noted. “Some kind of written, ‘I will not participate."”