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Clean Elections (sometimes called Clean Money or Voter-Owned Elections) is a system of government financing of political campaigns used in a small number of states and local political jurisdictions in the United States. Some form of Clean Elections legislation has been adopted, mostly through ballot initiatives, in Maine, Arizona, North Carolina, New Mexico, Vermont, and Massachusetts (though in the latter two it has been weakened or repealed). Clean Elections was passed by normal legislative means in Connecticut in December, 2005. Two municipalities in 2005, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Portland, Oregon have also passed Clean Elections for municipal elections. A Clean Elections ballot initiative, Proposition 89 was defeated in California in 2006 by 25.7% to 74.3%. Political campaign Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box: A political campaign is an organized effort to influence the decision making process within a group. ...
In political science, the initiative (also known as popular or citizens initiative) provides a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote on a proposed statute, constitutional amendment, charter amendment or ordinance. ...
Official language(s) None Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area Ranked 39th - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 km²) - Width 210 miles (338 km) - Length 320 miles (515 km) - % water 13. ...
Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area Ranked 6th - Total 113,998 sq mi (295,254 km²) - Width 310 miles (500 km) - Length 400 miles (645 km) - % water 0. ...
Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area Ranked 28th - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²) - Width 150 miles (240 km) - Length 560[1] miles (901 km) - % water 9. ...
Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area Ranked 5th - Total 121,665 sq mi (315,194 km²) - Width 342 miles (550 km) - Length 370 miles (595 km) - % water 0. ...
Official language(s) None Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Area Ranked 45th - Total 9,620 sq mi (24,923 km²) - Width 80 miles (130 km) - Length 160 miles (260 km) - % water 3. ...
Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area Ranked 44th - Total 10,555 sq mi (27,360 km²) - Width 183 miles (295 km) - Length 113 miles (182 km) - % water 13. ...
It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ...
Nickname: Location in the state of New Mexico Coordinates: , Country United States State New Mexico County Bernalillo Founded 1706 Government - Mayor Martin Chavez Area - City 181. ...
Nickname: Location in Multnomah County and the state of Oregon Coordinates: , Country United States State Oregon County Multnomah County Incorporated February 8, 1851 Government - Mayor Tom Potter Area - City 145. ...
// Proposition 89 was a failed 2006 California ballot initiative that would have offered clean elections centered on campaign finance reform. ...
Under a Clean Elections system, candidates hoping to receive public financing must collect a certain number of small "qualifying contributions" (often as little as $5) from registered voters. In return, they are paid a flat sum by the government to run their campaigns, and agree not to raise money from private sources. Candidates who are outspent by privately-funded opponents may receive additional public matching funds.
Because the system is voluntary, it appears not to run afoul of the United States Supreme Court's Buckley v. Valeo decision, which struck down mandatory spending limits as an unconstitutional restriction on free speech. The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C., (large image) The Supreme Court of the United States, located in Washington, D.C., is the highest court (see supreme court) in the United States; that is, it has ultimate judicial authority within the United States...
Holding --- Court membership Case opinions Laws applied --- Buckley v. ...
Freedom of speech is the right to freely say what one pleases, as well as the related right to hear what others have stated. ...
Comprehensive Clean Elections systems have been in effect in Arizona and Maine for several years. Not surprisingly, most candidates take the subsidies rather than compete under the resulting handicap of raising voluntary contributions. In Maine, an overwhelming majority (3/4) of state legislators take the government money. In Arizona, the same is true of a majority of the state house, as well as the current Governor (Janet Napolitano). Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area Ranked 6th - Total 113,998 sq mi (295,254 km²) - Width 310 miles (500 km) - Length 400 miles (645 km) - % water 0. ...
Official language(s) None Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area Ranked 39th - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 km²) - Width 210 miles (338 km) - Length 320 miles (515 km) - % water 13. ...
Official language(s) None Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area Ranked 39th - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 km²) - Width 210 miles (338 km) - Length 320 miles (515 km) - % water 13. ...
Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area Ranked 6th - Total 113,998 sq mi (295,254 km²) - Width 310 miles (500 km) - Length 400 miles (645 km) - % water 0. ...
Janet Georgia Napolitano (b. ...
At the Federal level, Senator Russ Feingold is a supporter. In the 2008 Presidential Campaign, John Edwards has also expressed support. Russell Dana Russ Feingold (born March 2, 1953) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. ...
Johnny Reid John Edwards [1] (born June 10, 1953), is an American politician who was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004 and a one-term U.S. Senator from North Carolina. ...
Differences between Clean Elections and Traditional Campaign Finance Reform
Clean Elections can be considered a type of Campaign Finance Reform. Clean Elections differs from more traditional reform proposals, however, in a number of important ways: It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Campaign finance. ...
- Traditional Campaign Finance Reform laws are restrictive, placing campaign donation caps on the donors. Clean Elections laws include these types of restrictions but supplement them by providing qualified candidates with a fixed amount of government funding with which to run their campaigns. To receive tax dollars, "Clean Candidates" must forgo all fundraising and accept no private or personal funds. Candidates who choose not to participate typically operate under significant restrictions on fundraising.
- Campaign Finance Reform laws limit the amount an individual contributor can donate to a politician. If caps are set too high, they may have a minimal perceptual effect on campaigns. Clean Elections allows for traditional fundraising candidates, subject to sometmes severe restrictions on fundraising, but in addition provides tax funding for candidates who decline private funding. Tax-funded candidates who are outspent normally receive matching funds up to a cap to remain competitive, thus in effect assuring that a candidate who refuses public money cannot gain a substantial financial advantage.
- Candidates participating in a Clean Elections system are required to meet a certain qualification criterion, such as collecting a predetermined amount of signatures along with a small contribution (generally around $5) before the candidate can receive public support. Generally these qualifying contributions must be given by constituents. Traditional Campaign Finance Reform proposals focus only on limits. If caps are low enough, they can help spread out the donor pool, but do not address the issue of disproportionate warchests or expenditures made independently of the candidates.
Effectiveness of Clean Elections Studies by various ideological advocacy groups have found that Clean Elections are effective or ineffective largely in accordance with the position the sponsoring organization has taken on the question. The most important independent study of clean elections is one undertaken by the nonpartisan General Accounting Office pursuant to a provision in the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (also known as "McCain-Feingold"). The study, of Clean Elections programs in Arizona and Maine, concluded that more experience was required before any final judgments could be made on the effectiveness of the system. However,it found no short term benefits from clean elections in either of the two states. ([1]) The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA) is U.S. Congressional legislation which regulates the financing of political campaigns. ...
Supporters of Clean Elections Eliot Laurence Spitzer (born June 10, 1959) is an American lawyer, politician and the current Governor of New York. ...
This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...
Official language(s) English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area Ranked 47th - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²) - Width 70 miles (110 km) - Length 150 miles (240 km) - % water 14. ...
Russell Dana Russ Feingold (born March 2, 1953) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. ...
Cecil Heftel was Congressman from Hawaii between 1976 and 1986. ...
Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area Ranked 43rd - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²) - Width n/a miles (n/a km) - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km) - % water 41. ...
Edward Miner Lamont, Jr. ...
It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ...
Ralph Nader (born February 27, 1934), is an American attorney and political activist Issues he has promoted include consumer rights, feminism, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government. ...
It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. ...
Janet Georgia Napolitano (b. ...
Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area Ranked 6th - Total 113,998 sq mi (295,254 km²) - Width 310 miles (500 km) - Length 400 miles (645 km) - % water 0. ...
John C. Bonifaz is a Boston-based attorney specializing in constitutional law and voting rights. ...
The National Voting Rights Institute (NVRI) [1] is a non-partisan, non-profit advocacy organization based in Boston, which describes itself as NVRI was founded in 1996 by attorney John Bonifaz and is involved with campaign finance reform, and other election reforms, as well as defense of voting rights. ...
The National Basketball Association of the United States and Canada, commonly known as the NBA, is the premier professional basketball league in North America. ...
Adonal David Foyle (born March 9, 1975 in Canouan, St. ...
Democracy Matters is a non-profit, non-partisan grassroots student political organization that is dedicated to deepening democracy by promoting Clean Elections as a replacement to campaign corruption, and campaign finance reform. ...
Johnny Reid John Edwards [1] (born June 10, 1953), is an American politician who was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004 and a one-term U.S. Senator from North Carolina. ...
“Obama†redirects here. ...
William Blaine Bill Richardson III (born November 15, 1947) is an American politician, and the current Governor of New Mexico. ...
Richard Joseph Durbin (born November 21, 1944) is an American politician. ...
Arlen Specter (born February 12, 1930) is a United States Senator from Pennsylvania. ...
External links
Legislation - Proposed US bill (introduced in House)
- Arizona law (pdf)
- Maine law
- Common Cause - list of state efforts
- Proposed New York Bill
Studies
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