Group floats Clean Election fixes
The state's ethics commission is mulling two options for modifying a portion of Maine's Clean Election Act, which was recently deemed unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.
In June, U.S. District Court Judge George Singal invalidated part of the law that gives publicly funded candidates more funds if they are outspent by privately funded competitors, leaving the state to find a way to change the system. The Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices yesterday pitched two options to replace the matching funds provision, MaineToday Media reported. One would establish a fixed amount of funding candidates would receive once they qualify for the program, $6,216 for House candidates and $28,617 for Senate candidates. The second option would allow candidates to gather additional $5 qualifying donations to receive more public funding beyond the initial amount, which would be $5,000 for House candidates and $25,000 for Senate candidates. House candidates could earn an additional $5,000, while Senate candidates could earn another $25,000. Maine Citizens for Clean Elections said it opposes the first option because privately financed opponents would know exactly how much public candidates would have to spend.
Commission Executive Director Jonathan Wayne is expected to draft a report detailing the options to present to lawmakers next month, according to the paper.
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