House of Delegates candidate presents plan for campaign finance reform bill in Minden

MINDEN, WV (WOAY) –  Selina Vickers is a Democrat running in Fayette County for the House of Delegates and if elected, plans to introduce sweeping campaign finance reform.

On Thursday, she was joined by other candidates and activists in Minden to talk about the bill that would offer public financing for all state elections, limit what a candidate can spend on their own campaign, put in a lifetime ban on lobbyists becoming legislators and make it illegal for a legislator to serve as a lobbyist.

It would also make donor lists public on websites and outside of offices for those who get elected to state office.

“Until we pass laws that level the playing field, people like you and me and Annetta, people in this community will never have the government that we deserve and never have the government that truly represents us,” Vickers said.

Vickers chose to do the press conference in Minden alongside resident Annetta Coffman in front of the home she was forced to leave because of continuous flooding and the well-known PCB contamination in the area.

Coffman and Vickers both believe that if Minden was more of a wealthy area, help would’ve come a long time ago, highlighting the issue of candidates catering to donors

“If we were a higher socioeconomic community, things would have already been done. There are people that would already be out or we wouldn’t be forced to leave our homes or forced to be in a contaminated area,” Coffman said.

The two were also joined by democratic candidate for District 3 of the House of Representatives, Hilary Turner as well as Mary Ann Claytor who is running for state auditor who both back the bill.

“We have to fight for every West Virginian no matter the community, no matter the number of votes that are in that area,” Claytor said. “And I believe it is time for West Virginians to rise up to stand together for us to get the right people in office that will represent our interests and not the interest of their donors.”

This is part of the “West Virginia Can’t Wait” movement and 51 candidates have already signed on to this platform.

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Anna Saunders
Anna Saunders is a weekend reporter for WOAY. With a diploma from Princeton Senior High School and a mother from Fayette County, she is no stranger to the area. She received a degree in Media Arts and Design from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia and wanted to return home to start her career as a reporter.