Depending on how the state legislative elections results shake out in New York come November we could be looking at much improved odds for passing a Clean Elections bill there in the coming year. New York Governor David Paterson (D) is certainly a supporter of Clean Elections, if not the most outspoken on the subject, and state activists are keeping up the drumbeat for movement on legislation -- see this letter to the editor in Binghamton.

I'm sorry to report that Alaska's Clean Elections ballot initiative did not pass yesterday -- in fact, on the primary ballot where both Sen. Ted Stevens (R) and Rep. Don Young (R) faced primary challenges none of the ballot initiatives got much love. But as they say, Rome wasn't built in a day. This is only the beginning of Alaska's fight for Clean Elections.

Whether or not Maryland state Sen. Ulysses Currie (D) faces criminal penalties for failing to properly disclose his employment as a consultant with a company with business before the state legislature, his peers in the Senate will be looking in to his dealings. Senate President Mike Miller (D) has said an ethics investigation will be convened to assess Currie's potential violations of disclosure requirements.