New Haven, Connecticut can add another candidate to the list of mayoral hopefuls participating in the city's first run of its Clean Elections program. Republican H. Richter Elser pledged to join Jim Newton, Ralph Ferucci, and incumbent John DeStefano in opting in to the public financing program.  Elser says he's intrigued by the potential of Clean Elections to level the playing field and give challengers a chance.

New Haven's Mayor, John DeStefano Jr. reflects in this article on the changes he's making in his campaign style as part of his first participation in the public financing program now available in Connecticut. First up: a campaign kick-off in a local park, with staffers grilling up hotdogs for local supporters.

New Haven, Connecticut adopted a public financing program for municipal elections in 2005 and is taking steps now to ensure that candidates who opt to go the public financing route have adequate resources to fund their campaigns. Yale Daily News reports on the ordinance, designed to make running for office accessible to a broader range of people.