Fulfilling campaign pledge, Spitzer vows to put voters ahead of campaign cash

Fulfilling his campaign pledge to clean up Albany politics, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer (D) in his State of the State address today called for publicly financed elections, or Clean Elections, to make elections about voters and ideas and not big money and special interests.

"Lobbyists and big campaign donors have taken over Albany," said Nick Nyhart, President and CEO of Public Campaign. "Gov. Spitzer's plan for Clean Elections would put control back where it belongs--in the hands of voters."

Under Clean Elections, once candidates show broad community support by collecting a set number of small (usually $5) qualifying contributions and agree to strict contribution and spending limits, they are given funds to pay for their campaign. If a publicly financed candidate faces a privately funded candidate who raises significantly more money, matching funds are available to level the playing field.

"Clean Elections works," said Nyhart. "It ends the money chase for political office and guarantees voters that their elected officials have the best interests of their constituents in mind-not the interests of those who give the most money to their campaigns. Voters are ready for a change."

Gov. Spitzer is the third governor in the past two weeks to endorse a form of publicly financed elections. Both Governors Christine Gregoire (D-WA) and Bill Richardson (D-NM) have also announced their support for Clean Elections.

"These leaders have seen the success of systems in Maine, Arizona, and North Carolina where more than 200 officials were elected in 2006 under Clean Elections, and recognize the need to level the political playing field in their states," said Nyhart.

If implemented in New York, the state would join seven states and two cities that have adopted Clean Elections for all or some of their races. Clean Elections has been in place for statewide and legislative races in Maine and Arizona since 2000 and for judicial races in North Carolina since 2004. Four other states and two cities have adopted Clean Elections for all or some of their races: Connecticut; New Jersey; New Mexico; Vermont; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Portland, Oregon.

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Public Campaign is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to sweeping reform that aims to dramatically reduce the role of big special interest money in American politics. For more information, go to www.publicampaign.org.