Fair Elections: Commonsense Reform

OVERVIEW

AMERICANS FOR CAMPAIGN REFORM

Fair Elections: Commonsense Reform Fair Elections is a new and innovative approach to the problem of special interest money in American elections. It combines what works in our current campaign finance system - citizen small donations - with matching public funds to ensure competitive campaigns. And it rejects what doesn’t work: big money from lobbyists and special interest groups seeking access and influence in government. In five states from Arizona to Maine, Fair Elections is ushering in a new, more accountable politics.

5. Reduces Wasteful Spending

Benefits of Fair Elections

Fair Elections Provisions

1. Open, Competitive Campaigns Good government, like any other enterprise, requires robust competition for public office. Fair Elections encourages and enables the most highly qualified candidates to run, ensuring that voters have a meaningful choice in leadership and that big money is not a precondition to seeking public office.

Responsible stewardship of the nation’s taxes requires that politicians are not beholden to special interests. In countless documented cases, large donations have produced billions in inefficient spending and regulation, contrary to a competitive free market. By replacing big money with small donor public funding, Fair Elections gives leaders the independence they need to evaluate policy on merit and public interest alone.

Provision

House

Senate

Contribution Limit (indivs.)

$100 primary $100 general

$100 primary $100 general

Qualifying Contributions

1,500 in-state $50,000 raised

1,500 + 500 per CD instate; $50,000 +10% of primary grant raised

Primary Funding (est.)

$360,000 grant + 4:1 matching funds

$500,000 grant + $100,000 per CD + 4:1 matching funds

General Funding (est.)

$540,000 grant + 4:1 match funds

$750,000 grant + $250,000 per CD + 4:1 matching funds

Public Spending Limits (est.)

$900,000 grants; match up to $1.8 million

$1.25 million + $350,000 per CD grant; match up to 200% of grant

2. Strengthens Public Accountability Under Fair Elections, candidates are accountable to the voters and their conscience alone. Rather than spending countless hours raising money for reelection, politicians are to free attend to the people’s business for which they were elected.

3. Cherishes Political Speech Under Fair Elections, qualified candidates have the funding they need to make their voices heard. Consistent with the First Amendment, Fair Elections respects the right of independent groups to enter the political debate, while extending speech opportunities to more and diverse voices across the political spectrum.

4. Raises Citizen Participation Democracy is strengthened when citizens actively engage in the political process. Rather than rely on a tiny fraction of wealthy Americans to fund politics, Fair Elections encourages citizen-driven campaigns and rewards broad-based support by leveraging small donations with matching public funds.

Track Record of Success Experience with state Fair Elections has shown that candidates willingly forego the big-money system when presented with the alternative of raising small donations matched with public funds. In Maine, Arizona, Connecticut, North Carolina, and New Mexico, comprehensive Fair Election programs have significantly increased electoral competition and encouraged unprecedented participation by citizen small donors. Over 75% of elected officials voluntarily participate in state Fair Elections systems. Additionally, more than half of states currently offer some form of public campaign finance. For more info, visit youstreet.org.

JOIN US AT YOU STREET, A GROWING MOVEMENT FOR CAMPAIGN REFORM • WWW.YOUSTREET.ORG 5 BICENTENNIAL SQUARE CONCORD, NH 03301 • TEL 603.227.0626 • [email protected]

8/25/09