“Concern should drive us into action, not into a depression.” -- Karen Horney
Arizona has been successfully using Clean Elections full public financing of campaigns for all state offices since 2000. Arizona voters approved the Citizens Clean Elections Act in 1998 despite opposition from entrenched special interests. It provides an equal and limited amount of public funds to qualifying candidates based on the costs of campaigning in Arizona for each office, and covers all state legislators and statewide offices. The Clean Elections Act has been a resounding success with candidates and voters in Arizona. In 2002, Arizona’s Clean Elections system celebrated a clear victory, as the first ever publicly financed governor was elected, in addition to 38 other clean candidates. Other positive impacts impacts include:
Despite such successes — or maybe because of them — opponents of Clean Money attacked Arizona’s system in the courts multiple times. It has survived every important court test, with the Arizona Supreme Court ruling 5-0 that it and its funding sources were constitutional. Meanwhile, the Arizona public supports the Clean Elections Act more than ever, with 85% of Arizonan’s familiar with their Clean Elections system saying they believed it is very or somewhat important to Arizona voters in a 2006 poll.
Candidates qualify as Clean Elections candidates and receive public funds based on the costs of campaigning for their office by: (1) Collecting a set number of $5 qualifying contributions from voters in their districts. The exact number of qualifying contributions required are:
(2) Renouncing any further campaign contributions. Matching funds are granted if a clean candidate is outspent by a privately funded opponent, up to double the original grant. Arizona Links "Clean
Elections Works!" "Road
to Victory" Arizona's Clean Elections Institute Arizona Clean Elections Act (Full text of 1998 initiative) Arizona Clean Money Act Qualifying Contribution and Expenditure Limits
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