Public Financing in the States

Latest News 8/27/2008 Ballot Measures Fail at Polls Voters failed to support any of the four ballot measures on the primary ballot. Read More 8/22/2008 Alaska Common Ground Forum Rebroadcast KACN-TV and KSKA announce rebroadcast dates/times of the Wednesday, August 20th forum. Read More 8/21/2008 Jim Sykes on The Eddie Burke Show Clean Elections supporter Jim Sykes will discuss Ballot Measure 3 on the radio Thursday, 8/21/2008 at 2pm. Read More 8/21/2008 Tim June on Cutting Edge Tim June, Clean Elections Chair, will appear on The Cutting Edge with C.C. Friday, 8/22/2008. Read More 8/15/2008 Cajun Cook-Out Fundraiser Rain or Shine, you are invited to a Deep Fried Turkey Dinner Friday, August 15, 2008! Read More 8/15/2008 State files criminal charges against lobbyist Lobbyist Ashley Reed faces jail time for seven misdemeanors. Read More 8/11/2008 Bill Weimar pleads guilty Bill Weimar, pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court to conspiring to make illegal payments to a legislative candidate in 2004. Read More 8/11/2008 Clean Elections Rally Clean Elections Initiative Supporters to Rally in front of US District Court House 12:30 pm Monday at the US District Court House 222 W. 7th Avenue - Anchorage Read More

Fourteen states provide direct public financing to candidates. An additional ten states provide minimal public financing to candidates and/or political parties, generally funded through taxpayer contributions to political parties through their tax returns (add-ons*).

Who is eligible for public financing?

Gubernatorial candidates:	Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, Vermont
Statewide office candidates:	Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Nebraska, Rhode Island
Statewide & legislative candidates:	Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin
Political party designated by taxpayer:	Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia
Political party (according to distribution formula):	California, Indiana, Ohio
Judicial candidates:	North Carolina
State utility oversight commissions:	New Mexico

What is the source of the public funds?

Tax check-off:	Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Utah, Wisconsin
Tax add-on :	Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, North Carolina, Vermont, Virginia
Appropriations:	Florida, Hawaii, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, Rhode Island
Other Sources:	Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Vermont , New Mexico

A "tax add-on" gives taxpayers the option of reducing their tax refund or increasing their tax payment in order to fund a public financing program. State tax add-ons have not generated significant amounts of money.

A "tax check-off" allows taxpayers to earmark a small portion of their taxes (usually $1 to $5) for distribution to candidates or political parties. A check-off does not increase the individual taxpayers' tax liability.

http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=4773825

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A big thank you to all our staff, volunteers and voters who worked so hard to help make Clean Elections a reality. Do not be discouraged. This is only a bump in the road and we will succeed. We have a great broad-based coalition of Alaskans that is growing. We now have 486 individual donations which is far more than all the other ballot groups combined. We are Alaska based and Alaska funded. Be proud of that. We need to continue to educate Alaskan voters about the benefits of Clean Elections.

Our loss, and the loss of all the Ballot Measures, can most likely be attributed to the $8 Million spent by the S. African mining industry to turn out the NO vote on Ballot Measure #4. It turned out people who were not our voters. It, once again, proves our claim that big money special interests continues to dominate Alaska politics. Clean Elections will put an end to that influence.

We believe when voters get honest information to evaluate Clean Elections, it will become a reality in Alaska.
Alaskans cannot afford to stand idly by and allow special interests to continue influencing our election system. We must continue to work together to bring control of Alaska back to our people.

My heart-felt thanks for a great grassroots campaign. We will prevail!

Tim June, Chair of Alaskans for Clean Elections

Clean Elections is a voluntary, straight-forward process that levels the playing field, reduces the power of special interests and holds elected officials accountable to the voters. Try our walk-through to see how transparent and effective Clean Elections in Alaska works. 2006 candidates for state office raised $11,245,300 for their campaigns. Since then, our state has been rocked by corruption scandal after scandal. Learn more about why we need Clean Elections in Alaska now. Clean Elections has wide bi-partisan support from your neighbors, current and former elected officials and organziations that want an end to special-interest controlled government. Your neighbors and friends Candidates and Elected officials Local and state leaders

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