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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July
3, 2006
Common-sense approach to campaign finance reform
Op-Ed Column
By Gail Buckner
Georgia
citizens deserve to be the key players in the election of our government
officials. Most candidates agree that citizen participation is the
most important element in the elections process. During this primary
a few candidates have regularly made bold statements that the "System
is broken. Special interests have taken over. It is time to take
back the election process and our government."
As
candidate for Secretary of State, I have done more than just talk
about what needs to be done. I have an elections reform platform
that will actually do something to impact the far reaching significance
of special interests in Georgia elections.
As
Secretary of State, I will ask the General Assembly for legislation
to create a Clean Campaign Commission to help formulate my vision
for a "Georgia Fair and Clean Elections Act." Spurred by Arizona
and Maine, Clean Elections is an innovative campaign finance reform
movement that offers either full or partial public funding of campaigns
for qualified candidate who wish to run for statewide and legislative
offices.
The
aim is to encourage broad-reaching citizen participation in the
political process while removing the choke chain of special interest.
It also levels the playing field for qualified candidates, enables
registered voters to support their preferred candidates through
affordable contributions and grass-roots support, and lends greater
autonomy to elected officials to spend more time listening to their
constituents.
This
process has already been proven in Arizona and Maine. Voter turn-out
in Arizona increased by 27 percent, and in Maine turn-out rose 19
percent. Moreover, both states experienced a substantial increase
in the number of qualified candidates.
To qualify, these Clean Elections candidates have to raise a large
number of $5 contributions from voters in their districts. This
is opposite to most other states, including Georgia, where fewer
and larger donations, are the norm. The design of Clean Elections
can vary from state to state.
In
Arizona public funding originates from several sources including
a voluntary check-off box on state income tax forms. In 2001, 650,000
Arizonans donated more than $14 million to the fund administered
by the Clean Elections Commission. Maine on the other hand, appropriates
a specified amount directly from their general fund.
Twenty-three
other states have followed suite and operate hybrids of a Clean
Campaign program. While there are various versions of what constitutes
a Clean Campaign, it is interesting to note that in Arizona the
maximum campaign donation for all races is $5. In Georgia the maximum
campaign donation for statewide races is $5,000.
As
testament to this proven process, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano
was elected to her statewide office as part of a "Clean Campaign."
She has stated, "When I ran for Attorney General in 1998, I sat
in my office for five or six hours a day asking people for money,
which I despised." Her campaign for governor in 2002 was much different.
She collected 6,000 citizen donations of $5 and was still elected
statewide. Last year, TIME rated her one of the five best governors
in the nation. She was also later rumored as a possible Vice President
nominee.
There
are many ways to approach Clean Elections Campaign in Georgia and
I plan to be flexible because my main concern is to address the
big picture of campaign finance reform. I will work with the Clean
Campaign Commission, the State Ethics Commissions, our next governor
and General Assembly members to review all the best options for
our state. My goal is to cultivate a legislative consensus on an
enabling bill, so it can be put before the voters in a November
2008 referendum. Citizens would know upfront the scope and breath
of what is involved in severing this ball and chain of special interest
money. Under my steady and progressive leadership, average Georgians
will reclaim their rightful place at the table.
Buckner
is the most experienced state official and the most successful campaigner
in the Democratic Primary for Georgia Secretary of State. For more
information on the Buckner agenda, visit her official web site at
www.gailbuckner.com.
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