With five of the nine eligible candidates qualifying in Albuquerque's first run of its public financing program for city elections, the system is being called a success. While both public financing supporters and participating candidates are discussing potential improvements to the law, they are praising the first test of this system which was overwhelmingly approved by voters in a 2005 ballot initiative.

 

Principally, the program was a way to make running for public office more plausible to people intimidated by the levels of money involved in campaigning.

It also was meant to reduce the influence of outside special interests and increase the amount of time a candidate could spend with the public, rather than on raising money.

"Anecdotally, we heard from candidates that they got to spend way more time going door to door," [Matt] Brix [of Common Cause New Mexico] said. "From what we heard, and from the system's perspective, it was a great success."

 

New Mexico has offered a public financing option for their Public Regulation Commission for several years now, and Governor Bill Richardson, who has voiced his support for public financing of elections, recently signed a bill creating a similar program for judicial elections.