WHILE BIG MONEY SOARS NATIONWIDE, CLEAN ELECTIONS THRIVE IN ARIZONA AND MAINE

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 11/02/2004 - 15:00

“ A BETTER ALTERNATIVE TO BIG MONEY ELECTIONS EXISTS,”
SAYS PUBLIC CAMPAIGN

Washington, D.C.—Public Campaign’s executive director Nick Nyhart today hailed the resounding success of Clean Elections full public financing systems in Arizona and Maine with the following statement:

“On Election Day we are all supposed to be equal in the ballot booth, but with overall campaign costs rocketing towards $4 billion, it’s clear that almost everywhere in America big money dominates our election process. That is, except for the states which have enacted Clean Money/Clean Elections public financing systems. In Arizona and Maine more candidates than ever are running for office by participating in a system that levels the playing field and promotes fairness. Not only that, this fall a new Clean Elections state is coming on line, in North Carolina. And more are on the way. A better alternative to big money elections not only is possible, it exists and it’s thriving.”

Under Clean Money/Clean Elections, candidates who agree to give up private fundraising and abide by strict spending limits can qualify for an equal grant of full public funding for their campaigns. To qualify, they have to collect a large number of small (i.e. $5) contributions from voters in their district.

Here are the facts on Clean Elections, 2004:

  • In Maine, nearly 80% of the candidates for state legislature are running “clean.”
  • In Arizona, almost 60% of the candidates for state house and close to 40% for state senate are running clean.
  • Six out of the seven statewide candidates for Arizona’s Corporation Commission (including all the Democrats and Republicans) are running clean.
  • In both states, participation rates are up from 2002.
  • Participation cuts across party lines: in Maine 87% of the Democrats and 73% of the Republicans are running clean; in Arizona, 65% of the Democrats and 51% of the Republicans are running clean.
  • Voter choices are being expanded, too: in Maine 92% of the house races and 91% of the senate races will include at least one Clean Elections participant. In Arizona, 83% of the house races and 50% of the senate races will include at least one Clean Elections participant.
  • In Maine, the number of contested primaries rose to 39, up from 31 in 2002 and 25 in 2000. All but two of those included at least one Clean Elections candidate.
  • In North Carolina, twelve of sixteen candidates for state Supreme Court and Appellate Court are currently running with public financing, taking advantage of the state’s new Judicial Campaign Reform Act, passed by the legislature in 2002.
For more information, contact Rick Bielke at 202-293-0222 or go to www.publicampaign.org