It looks as though participation in North Carolina's pilot program for public financing of three Council of State races will be high. Six of the 11 candidates for the offices of auditor, insurance commissioner and superintendent of public instruction have indicated they would opt in, and another four are still mulling whether to participate.

After concerns were raised over candidates for these positions taking a large portion of their campaign contributions from "interested parties" the pilot program was passed by the legislature last year. If all goes well this year it could be expanded to include more Council of State offices (the governor's cabinet) and potentially legislative races. North Carolina also has a full public financing program for Supreme and Appellate Court judicial elections.

This initial show of support among candidates is very promising:

“It allows for regular, ordinary citizens to be involved in a campaign without having to raise millions and millions of dollars,” said Eddie Davis, who is running for public-instruction superintendent and is head of the state’s largest teachers’ group.

“I don’t think I would have done it if this had not happened,” he added.

His opponent in the May 6 Democratic primary, incumbent June Atkinson, is also participating.

“It really allows the candidates to focus on meeting people, talking with people about issues in education,” she said.

[. . .]

Among candidates, support for public financing is bipartisan.

“It’s a no-brainer to participate for us,” said Frank Williams, political adviser to State Auditor Les Merritt, a Republican. “We got out and focus on meeting voters instead of spending the rest of the election year still raising money.”