Greensboro Citizens for Clean Elections 

Greensboro Citizens for Clean Elections is a nonpartisan grassroots organization working to restore public confidence in our local government by reducing the influence of money in politics. We’re advocating for a level playing field. We’re for sustainable development, increasing voter choice at the polls, and getting more citizens involved in their local democracy. It’s time to change the system and give everyone an equal voice.

UPDATES: Our next general meeting will be May 28th from 5:30-7:00 at the Central Branch of the library.  People of all political spectrums are encouraged to attend. 

IN OUR OWN WORDS...

excerpts from our 4/2/08 press conference 

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? To compete for Mayor or a City Council seat, candidates must raise tens of thousands of dollars.  In the last two elections in Greensboro, the candidate who has raised the most has won every time.  Winning at-large candidates outraised their opponents better than 2 to 1 in 2005 and winning 2007 at-large candidates raised about 70% more than their challengers.  The high cost to compete discourages otherwise viable candidates from seeking offices and forces candidates to spend time fundraising instead of talking about the issues that matter to voters. And who can afford to donate big money to the campaigns? Yup, it’s mainly the developers and special interests. This gives them undue influence in the process and reinforces people’s cynicism of our democracy. Greensboro has many great candidates and elected officials. We’re not criticizing any of them. We’re saying the system is broken and it’s time to fix it!

Meeting with Mayor Johnson, Councilwoman Rakestraw, and Rep. Pricey Harrison, and Common Cause NC staff member Diane Tworog to discuss local public financing options

HOW DO WE LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD? Greensboro Citizens for Clean Elections advocates for public financing of City Council and Mayor elections. Here are the basics:

• It’s an optional system- candidates are free to raise money and campaign following the rules of the current system
• To participate in public financing, a candidate must collect a set number (determined by the city) of small donations from residents within the district of the office he/she is seeking
  • Ex: Candidate A asks 200 people in his District 4 for a $5 donation
• The candidate then receives a predetermined amount of money from the city to spend on his/her campaign.
  • Amount is typically equal to the average amount the winner spent for the seat of the past 3 elections
  • Or, the amount is based on registered voters- ex. Each candidate receives $1 for every registered voter in his/her district
• If a publicly financed candidate is outspent by a candidate not using the system, he/she is eligible for “matching funds” that match the spending of the candidate not participating in public financing

The benefits of public financing for local elections

• Reduces the influence of wealthy special interest/developer money
• Frees candidates from the money chase
• Increases candidate contact with voters  
• Gives voters more choice at the polls, increases competitiveness
• Encourages minorities and younger citizens to run 

WHERE ARE THERE EXISTING PUBLIC FINANCING PROGRAMS? All over, including here in North Carolina!

States that offer full public financing for elected offices:

• Arizona (all legislative and statewide offices)
• Connecticut (all legislative and statewide offices)
• Maine (all legislative and statewide offices)
• New Jersey (limited number of legislative offices)
• New Mexico (Public Regulation Commission candidates, Judicial candidates)
• North Carolina (Court of Appeals; State Supreme Court candidates)
• Vermont (candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor)

Municipalities offer full public financing to candidates

• Albuquerque, New Mexico (all city wide elections)
• Portland, Oregon (all city wide elections)
• San Francisco (Mayoral & supervisors

The success of public financing in North Carolina

• The General Assembly passed judicial public financing in 2002. Nine sitting members of North Carolina’s Court of Appeals and State Supreme Court have won election as public financed candidates including men, women, African Americans, whites, Democrats and Republicans
• In 2008, the option of public financing will be available for three North Carolina Council of State offices (State Insurance commissioner, State Auditor and State School Superintendent)
• The North Carolina General Assembly has authorized the town of Chapel Hill to experiment with public financing for its 2009 and 2011 municipal elections.

GREENSBORO CITIZENS FOR CLEAN ELECTIONS IN THE NEWS

Group wants campaign changes  (video) News 14, 4-2-08

Elections group pushing for decision by summer News & Record 4-2-08

Group seeks election reform News & Record, 4-1-08

Priced out of running for election  (opinion piece) News & Record, 3-30-08

WHAT DO CLEAN ELECTIONS CANDIDATES HAVE TO SAY ABOUT PUBLIC FINANCING?

Rey Garduno, Albuquerque City Councilor “In my experience, the inaugural Albuquerque City Council publicly financed elections were a success on various levels. It allowed me as a candidate to speak to the issues and not waste an inordinate amount of time raising money to bankroll my campaign. Under the traditional method of funding campaigns not only is time spent on raising money but it has the effect of allowing the money givers to have an undue influence on the candidates they privately support – any other explanation is not supportable.”

Rep. Jim Annis, (R) ME “The Clean Election program performs many functions…but more important, it takes the hands of the candidate out of the pockets of the special-interest groups…. It's a great program and it's working.”

Governor M. Jodi Rell (R) CT (on signing Clean Elections legislation in 2005) “Yet this is landmark legislation, and not merely because Connecticut is the first state to enact such sweeping reforms through legislative action rather than by referendum, as was the case in Maine and Arizona. Equally important is the opportunity this bill lays before citizens who may have thought about public service but lacked the money to run for office or disliked the process of raising it for a campaign. I believe this legislation will encourage new voices in our political process, introducing fresh ideas and novel approaches.”

Rep. Nancy Smith (D) ME "Being a Clean Elections elected official now, there's a lot of freedom that comes with that. I really can focus on what my constituents need and not worry about upsetting anybody and it's going to cost me in the next election. I can really focus on what I think good policy is.

Sen. Art Mayo (R) ME “The public perception is the strongest. That (clean elections) removes for once and always the fact that if I receive a check for $250 from X person that himself or herself cannot feel that they can pick up the phone and get my vote on a particular issue. And other people who I serve or deal with on a day to day basis in Augusta also will have that same perception that my vote is not going to go in one direction or another depending on who has made a donation to my particular campaign.”

WANT TO LEARN MORE? Click on “Get info” for a wealth of research including: Greensboro Campaign Finance Reports from 2001-2007, detailed information on the perimeters and successes of existing public financing programs, and NC public opinion towards public financing.

WANT TO JOIN THE EFFORT? Click on “Get involved” and find information on upcoming meetings and events, sign a petition of support, and learn other ways you, your business, or your organization can take action.