Esteemed citizens of Josephine County,
I am writing to provide an update on my campaign for County Commissioner, Position 2. Campaigning, as you may know, can be a costly endeavor, encompassing expenses such as signage, advertisements, and brochures. In the spirit of transparency and accountability, I have chosen to self-fund my campaign and have not solicited any financial contributions from external sources. I firmly believe that candidates should have a personal stake in their campaigns and engage directly with the community they seek to represent.
Upon embarking on this campaign, I provided initial funding to cover startup costs and have continued to provide additional funding as needed. It is important to note that, in the United States, campaign finance laws allow anyone to contribute to a candidate’s campaign. These contributions can be made directly to the campaign manager or to the candidate themselves and are required to be reported to the Secretary of State.
To ensure the utmost accountability and compliance with campaign finance regulations, I have retained the services of a third-party campaign finance specialist. This individual possesses the expertise to accurately record and report all financial transactions related to my campaign, similar to the practices employed by other candidates who choose to manage their own finances.
Upon observing potential lapses in adherence to campaign finance reporting procedures among certain candidates, I acknowledge the critical significance of transparency. Consequently, I have chosen to enlist the services of a professional to diligently oversee these matters, guaranteeing accurate reporting and compliance with established business practices for all financial activities.
With the advent of modern technology, donors now have the option of contributing to campaigns using QR codes. These contributions are processed through a third-party company, akin to a crowdfunding platform, and are subsequently reported to the campaign’s designated accountant. This ensures that all contributions are properly accounted for and reported to the Oregon Secretary of State’s campaign finance website, ORESTAR.
It is crucial to emphasize that candidates have no control over the identities of donors until the contributions are reported by the donation company and subsequently disclosed on ORESTAR. As of the date of this communication, I have not received any corporate funding for my campaign, unlike some of my opponents. All contributions received thus far have come from individual citizens.
While I am grateful for the support of those who have chosen to contribute to my campaign, I do not rely on these contributions as my primary source of funding. I remain committed to self-funding my campaign and working diligently towards a better Josephine County.
Ballots are scheduled to be mailed around May 1st. I encourage you to visit my website, www.VoteChrisBarnett.com, to learn more about my platform and qualifications. I am eager to serve as your Commissioner and work towards the betterment of Josephine County.
Thank you for your attention and consideration.
Sincerely,
Chris Barnett
Candidate for Josephine County Commissioner, Position 2
