The idea of Fair Elections, publicly financed elections, dates back to the early 20th century, when Progressive Era reformers sought to curb the undue political influence wielded by multimillionaires created during the nineteenth century's industrial revolution.
 
It was not until the late 1990s, however, that a successful movement emerged for full public financing of elections. Since then, the movement has continued to grow vigorously. Some form of Clean Money, Clean Elections has passed in eleven states and four municipalities—Maine, Vermont, Arizona, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Mexico, New Jersey, Connecticut, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Hawaii, as well as Portland, Oregon, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Clean Elections remains law in all these places with the exception of Massachusetts:

• 1996: By a vote of 56% to 44%, Maine voters approve the Clean Election Act, which provides public funding for candidates running for all state offices.
• 1997: The Vermont legislature approves public financing for candidates running for lieutenant governor and governor. The law, however, does not provide for matching funds if they are outspent by a candidate who is not participating in the program, and the courts eventually struck down the provision placing caps on all candidates' spending. This issue may ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court.
• 1998: Arizona voters pass the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Act, establishing a system of public funding for candidates for statewide and state legislative offices. Massachusetts voters approve, by a 2-1 margin, The Clean Elections Law, which provides public financing for statewide candidates.
• 2000: Maine and Arizona Clean Elections laws go into effect; initiatives to establish Clean Money, Clean Elections in Missouri and Oregon are defeated.
• 2002: The North Carolina General Assembly approves the North Carolina Judicial Campaign Reform Act, which provides full voluntary public financing for candidates for the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.
• 2003: The New Mexico Legislature approves the "Voter Action Act," which establishes public funding for candidates running for the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC). The PRC is a five-member elected board that regulates public utilities telecommunications companies, and insurance companies as well as the registration of corporations and compliance with applicable laws. The Massachusetts Legislature repeals the state's citizen-passed Clean Money, Clean Elections law after the measure is added to the budget in committee—there is no roll call vote on the repeal.
• 2004: In New Jersey, the state legislature becomes the first in the country to enact full public financing for legislative races in passing the "Fair and Clean Elections Pilot Program." The pilot program will be in place in two legislative districts for the November 2005 general election for Assembly. Each major party will be able to choose from a set of three districts in which it currently holds both Assembly seats, but where unaffiliated voter registration is higher than average.
• 2005: In May, the Portland, Oregon City Council approves a new system of Voter Owned Elections by a vote of 4-1, making the city the first in the nation in which a legislative body has approved full public financing for its own elections. The ordinance provides full public financing for City Council and mayoral races. In October, Albuquerque, New Mexico, voters approve the Open and Ethical Elections Code Referendum by a vote of 69 to 31 percent. The new law provides public funding to qualifying candidates who agree not to accept contributions from individuals or special interests. The program is slated to go into effect in 2007. In December, the Connecticut legislature and governor approved legislation establishing full public financing of statewide and legislative races. The legislation also bans contributions from lobbyists and state contractors. The new law goes into effect for the 2008 elections.
• 2007: In February, the New Jersey legislature reauthorized the pilot "Fair and Clean Elections" program for three legislative districts. In November, all nine seats were won by publicly financed candidates. In March, for the first time, bipartisan bicameral public financing legislation was introduced at the federal level. In the Senate, Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) introduced the Fair Elections Now Act. In the House, Reps. John Tierney (D-MA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Todd Platts (R-PA) re-introduced the Clean Money, Clean Elections Act. Also in March, at the urging of Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM), the New Mexico legislature passed legislation authorizing full public financing for the state's judicial races. In August, North Carolina Governor Mike Easley signed the Voter Owned Elections Pilot Act into law, creating a public financing system for three offices of the Council of State: Commissioner of Insurance, State Auditor, and Superintendent of Public Instruction. And in October, Connecticut's Citizens' Election Program got its first test with a special election to replace a legislature that died while in office. Both Republican and Democratic candidates used the system.
• 2009: In March, the Fair Elections Now Act was reintroduced to Congress by lead sponsors Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and Reps. John Larson (D-Conn.) and Walter Jones (R-N.C.). In November, Albuquerque, NM has their inaugural run of public financing for mayoral races. In December, Gov. Jim Doyle (D) signed the Impartial Justice Bill into law in Wisconsin, providing public financing of elections for state Supreme Court candidates.
• 2010: In March, Gov. Joe Manchin (D) signed a bill for a pilot program for judicial public financing of state Supreme Court elections in West Virginia for the 2012 races. Hawaii used its pilot Fair elections program is used for the first time in the Hawaii County Council elections. In September, in the U.S. House, the Committee on House Administration passed the Fair Elections Now Act.
• 2011: Public financing for state Supreme Court elections goes into effect in Wisconsin; three of the four candidates opt into the system, including the sitting incumbent.