Clean Elections Campaign Reform: The Basics

At more than $4 billion dollars, the 2004 elections were the most expensive in U.S. history. Special interest dollars appear to be buying special favors at greater rates than ever, as wealthy, well-connected individuals of both political parties gather influence and give enormous sums of campaign cash. With the recent pay-to-play scandals involving former Reps. Tom Delay (R-TX), Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA), and current Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA), among others, not to mention convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, it is easy to lose faith that our democracy will ever be about voters and not campaign donors.

However, changes in states across the country are providing hope to those disenchanted with the current political system. Three states-Arizona, Maine, and North Carolina-have already put into practice Clean Elections, a system of campaign finance that puts voters ahead of political donors. Four others and two municipalities-- Connecticut, New Jersey, New Mexico and Vermont and Albuquerque, New Mexico and Portland, Oregon -- are in the process of implementing a Clean Elections system in all or parts of the state.

Clean Elections works by allowing everyone to participate equally in the political process. In most instances, candidates qualify for public funding once they show a broad base of community support by collecting a set number of small contributions-usually $5. In Maine, for example, candidates for the state senate must gather $5 contributions from150 people to be eligible for public financing. Once they qualify for public funding, Clean Elections candidates promise to take no more private contributions and to abide by strict spending limits. With Clean Elections, elected officials are no longer just well connected insiders or career politicians, but average folks from diverse backgrounds.

If a candidate runs under the Clean Elections system and faces an opponent who is running with private contributions and outspends the publicly funded candidate, the law typically provides a matching grant, to a limit, to the publicly funded candidate. Extra funding is also available if there is independent spending against a candidate by an outside group or individual. Candidates who choose not to participate in the Clean Elections system can raise money from private donors, but must follow state campaign finance limits and strict disclosure laws.