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.

2005 was the same year that the Connecticut legislature passed a Clean Elections bill to provide a full public financing option for statewide and legislative races; the most comprehensive public financing measure ever passed by a state legislature.

New Haven's efforts to implement a strong public financing program have been aided by the Yale Students for Clean Elections chapter of Democracy Matters, a a nationwide organization of college and university students fighting for Clean Elections.