“Concern should drive us into action, not into a depression.” -- Karen Horney
In 1998, Arizona voters narrowly approved the Citizens Clean Elections Act 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. Though delayed by a court fight, it proved its value in the 2000 election, when it helped lead to a 58 percent increase in the number of candidates who ran for office. Almost a third of all legislative candidates ran “clean”. In the 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. Some of the other positive impacts:
Despite such successes – or maybe because of them – opponents of Clean Money continue to attack Arizona’s system in the courts. So far, however, it has survived its major court tests, 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 overwhelming 66% support in a June 2002 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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