How ordinary people can shape the future of our democracy

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, August 12, 2026

By Tam Bresler, Barbara Dunn, Debbi & Brad Fincher, Susan Grout, Mark & Darlene Hampton, Beth Helstien, Diane Martindale, Cynthia McVeigh and Audrey Stewart

This is the third and final segment of the three-part series, “Get Dark Money Out of Politics.” To briefly recap Parts I and II:

Part I provides an overview of what dark money is, how the Citizens United decision enabled it to become the powerful political force that it is in our country. Part I also cites polls that show the overwhelming negative view of dark money across the country, from all sides of the political spectrum. It introduces the efforts of Montanans to stop dark money in the state and the successes they have achieved in getting closer to shutting out DM for good in their state.

Part II takes us through efforts in Washington state to put guardrails up around donors through the Public Disclosure Commission, the strongest in the country.

Part III

In this closing segment, we will focus on actions you can take to help stop dark money. However, before we begin, we have an important update: on June 16, the Transparent Election Initiative announced that Montana ballot initiative I-194, also known as The Montana Plan, has submitted nearly 50,000 signatures from all 56 counties to qualify for the November ballot.

In addition, since the writing of “Get Dark Money Out of Politics Part I” by Indivisible SJI, 49 states have started to explore, prepare or build similar plans to get dark money out of politics. Recently, the governor of Hawaii signed a similar measure into law.

Dark money thrives in silence and public disengagement. Right now, power is concentrated, influence is hidden and accountability is weakened. When political spending is concealed from voters, democracy itself is diminished.

This concern is not abstract. It goes to the heart of who shapes our government: ordinary citizens casting informed votes, or wealthy interests operating behind the scenes. Transparency is essential to a healthy democracy. Without it, voters cannot fully understand who is trying to influence their elections or hold decision-makers accountable.

“Don’t talk, feel, hope, retreat, angst, doubt, argue, weep, complain, rage, expound. … These don’t win these campaigns! Only taking ACTION wins.”

How you can go from learning about dark money to taking action: Five ways to help bring the Montana plan to Washington

Learn about the Montana Plan: A description of the genius of this initiative is available at https://montanaplan.org. Montana has a rich history of rallying against huge corporate bosses corrupting local politics, and that has not changed in over a century — recent polling confirms that Montanans of all political backgrounds are eager to act.

Send thank-you postcards to their volunteers: Their volunteers have worked incredibly hard. They really want them to feel like the rest of the country is cheering them on to the finish line in November. You can mail cards or postcards, individually or in bulk, to: Transparent Election Initiative, PO Box 1953, Helena, MT 59624.

A simple note is perfect, and they will make sure those notes get distributed to volunteers. Send TEI op-eds and letters to the editor(s): They’re trying to show Montana that the country is watching — and that The Montana Plan matters well beyond one state. You’re welcome to submit pieces directly to Montana papers yourself or send them to TEI, and they’ll help place them with the outlets they’re targeting week by week.

Three ways to bring the Get Dark Money Out of Politics plan to Washington state

Contact state legislators: Start talking to legislators and civic groups in our state and urge an update to our state constitution. In Washington, the amendment process must begin in the state Legislature, where it must pass with a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate before it goes to the people of the state to vote.

The people below have already started this push:

Rep. Clyde Shavers (10th District) is going to sponsor the bill in the next session, and he will need huge public support.

Indivisible Whidbey is on board and pitching for statewide support from Indivisible.

Fix Democracy First (Seattle) is championing this cause and has been working with Sen. Hasegawa (District 11).

Our District 40 Washington state legislators need to hear from us.

Contribute your ideas: If you have another way you want to help, TEI would love to hear from you! They can train people to phone bank, help with campaign tasks, give presentations to civic groups or speak with potential donor groups and supporters. The skills you learn can help follow their lead here in Washington.

Stage rallies: The more people who show up, the more pressure is put on legislators for change.

When we take action to neuter Citizens United in Washington state, the benefits extend beyond our borders — we send a powerful message to leadership in other states to take notice, and we keep pressure on Montana and Hawaii legislators not to overturn these reforms next year.

To be clear, the road to defeating Citizens United began in Montana, but the work is not done until we win in all 50 states. Now it’s up to us to make change real. Pick an action and get to work. And commit to staying in it for the long haul.

Thank you again for showing up, for believing this is possible, and for helping Washington and Montana build something bigger than a single ballot initiative.

Indivisible San Juan Islands, https://indivisiblesji.org.