Washington, D.C. - In an American political first, a majority of the candidates for state office in Arizona and Maine are financing their campaigns solely with public funds.

In Maine, 62% of all candidates (231 out of 372) on the fall ballot are participating in that state's Clean Elections system, which offers candidates the option of receiving full public financing in exchange for limiting their spending and rejecting private donations. In Arizona, 53% of all the candidates (84 out of 158) are running "clean."

These candidates include two of the three major candidates for governor of Arizona and 70% of all the contenders running for statewide offices. Candidates had to gather thousands of $5 contributions from voters in their district to qualify for public funding. More than 90,000 such contributions were made in Arizona, along with about 30,000 in Maine, a participation rate far exceeding the number of people who make private contributions.

More than half the Maine House and as much as three-quarters of its Senate, along with 6 of 9 of Arizona's statewide offices, will likely be held by candidates who ran "clean."

"Unlike candidates running everywhere else in America, these Clean Elections pioneers will owe no favors to big campaign contributors when they're elected," said Nick Nyhart, executive director of Public Campaign.

"Arizona's statewide elections are making history with over 70% of statewide candidates running 'clean' for the nine open seats in these offices," noted Cecilia Martinez, director of the Arizona Clean Elections Institute. "Clearly Clean Elections is being well received by both candidates and voters alike. Participation has doubled and their success rate is staggering," proclaimed Doug Clopp, coordinator of the Maine Citizen Leadership Fund's Democracy Project.

Other highlights from the two states:

• Sixty-two percent of the candidates for the Maine legislature and 50% of those running for the Arizona legislature are participating in the Clean Elections system.
• All of the candidates running for Arizona attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer and mine inspector are participating in the Clean Elections system.
• Participation cuts across party lines, with about 7 out of 10 Democrats running 'clean' in both states, and 53% of the Republicans in Maine and 38% of the Republicans in Arizona joining in. Independents, Greens and Libertarians are also using the system.
• Both states experienced a substantial increase in the number of contested primaries.