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.

Remember Alaskans that tomorrow is the day to vote on Ballot Measure 3 that would bring Clean Elections to your state.  The last flurry of supportive letters and op-eds have hit the papers and tomorrow, Tuesday the 26th, is the moment of truth.  Will candidates for state office in Alaska have the chance to nix big donors and run for office with full public financing?  Only if you get out and vote!

As voting day on the Clean Elections ballot initiative in Alaska draws closer, supporters are getting in their last letters of support to rally Alaskans to vote for full public financing of elections and put the sordid corruption scandals that have plagued the state in the past.  Here's a letter from Jim Cobis in the Kodiak Daily Mirror.

Alaskans for Clean Elections took their campaign to Kodiak as part of their statewide effort to gather support for the Clean Elections ballot initiative that will be on the Alaska ballot in August. In the wake of the VECO scandal that has seen several state lawmakers indicted or marched off to prison, support for full public financing of campaigns is on the upswing.

In the lead-up to the August vote on the Clean Elections ballot initiative in Alaska, the Alaska Public Interest Research Group has released a study confirming our suspicions about the primacy of fundraising in campaigns: generally speaking, the candidate with the most cash wins the race, and once they've won a seat, it's awfully hard to beat them.

Well this is good news out of Alaska.  Thirty-six of 46 candidates who responded to a survey by the Alaska Public Interest Research Group support the Clean Elections ballot initiative that is set to be voted on in August.  The survey was distributed to 133 candidates and most of the respondents were challengers.  While more support from incumbents would be helpful, this survey shows word about the initiative is spreading and people familiar with the rigors of campaigning are receptive to the idea.