Ann Ravel chairs California's Fair Political Practices Commission. She says she realized how easy it was to donate via text message when she made her own contribution to the Red Cross to benefit Haiti earthquake relief:
Ravel: "I was literally standing in line at Starbucks waiting for my all-important Latte and I saw the sign, and so I just did it, right there."
She's now pushing for political contributions to be handled the same way because she thinks it will encourage more young people to get involved in the democratic process:
Ravel: "Since I know that my own children only text, they don't even respond to my emails, I think that this is probably the way to go for them."
Ravel says texting contributions fits with the state's current
regulations, but the F-P-P-C plans to adopt new regulations
clarifying the process in October. She says they'd be in
place for next year's elections.