Campaign Finance Reform - Clean Election Laws
As of 2008, five states have passed "clean election" laws, laws that provide public money for state election campaigns if a candidate agrees to strict spending limits.
Maine was the first state to enact such a law, by voter referendum, in 1996.
In June 1997, Vermont became the first state to pass a bill modeled after the Maine law through its legislature. Both laws served as models for the clean election initiatives passed by Arizona and Massachusetts voters in November, 1998. The Massachusetts law, however, was repealed by the legislature in 2003. Connecticut's legislature passed a clean election bill in 2005, and it was amended in 2006 to remove an unnecessary step for third party candidates.
New Mexico expanded the program to include candidates for judgeships on the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court of New Mexico in 2007.
New Jersey's legislature passed a clean elections pilot project in 2004, which put into place two legislative districts for the November 2005 election. Following its success, three more districts have been selected to be part of the 2007 Fair and Clean Elections Pilot Project.
RULES:
- Arizona
In Arizona, candidates who agree to accept very low amounts of private money receive a fixed and limited amount of public funds. A five-member, non-partisan election commission with authority to enforce election laws administers the system. The law also provides matching funds up to three times the original campaign allocation for Clean Money candidates who are outspent by non-participating opponents or targeted by independent expenditures. More...
- Connecticut
State legislature candidates who acquire enough small contributions can choose to have his or her campaign publicly financed. The Clean Elections program also provides finances for primary elections and additional grants for candidates being outspent by non-participating candidates. The program will be expanded to include all statewide elections in 2010. More...
- Maine
Maine's campaign finance law, known as the Clean Elections Act is different from those in other states because those who agree to accept public funding must forego any private contributions beyond a small amount of "seed money" and a number of $5 qualifying contributions. More...
- Massachusetts Clean Election Rules
Candidates who agree to spending limits qualify for a set amount of clean money (public financing) for their campaign. To qualify, candidates must raise a large number of $100 contributions from in-state residents. The initiative also closes the soft money loophole. More..
- North Carolina
Judicial campaigns are the subject of North Carolina's law, enacted by the legislature in 2002. More...
- Vermont
The Vermont clean election law offers a public financing option to candidates running for governor and lieutenant governor in the year 2000, and commissions a study to consider extending the option to other state offices after the 2000 elections. The legislation provides a fixed amount of Clean Money to qualifying gubernatorial candidates. In 2006, the Vermont law was ruled unconstitutional. More...
- Model Clean Election Rule - by Public Campaign
This organization is dedicated to helping enact sweeping campaign finance reform and reduce the role of special interest money in elections. This is there model rule for clean election reform. More...
RELATED RULE
e-Mail this page to a Friend!