Clean Elections programs expanded in this week’s election as voters in six states showed their approval of the system that gives citizens greater authority of their government. At least 376 Clean Elections officials were elected on Tuesday, and that number could grow as more election results are determined. See the full release here.  Arizona When it convenes in January, 64 percent of the Arizona legislature will be made up of officials that used the Clean Elections program, up from the current 42 percent. In January 2009, a total of 58 officials that opted to use the voluntary system will be in the Arizona statehouse. Officials using the Clean Elections program will hold 41 of 60 Arizona House seats, or 68 percent, and 17 of 30 Senate seats, or 57 percent.  Connecticut This is Connecticut’s first general election under its new Clean Elections modeled program and the results have been outstanding. Eighty-one percent of the next General Assembly will be officials that ran under the Clean Elections program. That’s a total of 152 seats out of 187, though that could rise higher as results for several seats remain undetermined. In the Connecticut Senate, 89 percent of the seats, or 32 of 36, will be held by Clean Elections officials. On the House side, Clean Elections officials will hold at least 120 of the 151 seats.  Maine Clean Elections have become a vital part of the election process in Maine since it was instituted for all state elections in 2000. Preliminary returns indicate that Clean Elections officials will hold 85 percent of all seats in the next Maine statehouse, with 158 winning candidates running under the program. That’s up slightly from 84 percent in the current statehouse. Clean Elections officials will hold 80 percent of the Senate, or 28 seats, and 86 percent, or 130 seats, in the Maine House of Representatives, preliminary returns show.  North Carolina A total of eight Clean Elections officials won on Tuesday, including two of the three Council of State offices. Clean Elections candidates won all five of the contested N.C. Court of Appeals races. Once the winners are sworn in, 68 percent of North Carolina’s top judicial seats will be filled by judges that ran under the Clean Elections program. That includes five of the seven Supreme Court Justices, and 10 of 15 Court of Appeals judges.  Portland, Ore. And New Mexico In Portland, Ore., Amanda Fritz won the first Portland City Council race run entirely under a Clean Elections program. Fritz will become one of the city’s four commissioners, a non-partisan position serving Portland’s 570,000 citizens. In New Mexico, both candidates running Clean Elections campaigns for seats on the Public Relations Commission won their elections.