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Archive of Updates

National Clean Election Effort
modeled after Maine

6/29/06 - National organizations have launched a "Voters First" campaign for federal Clean Elections and other reforms. Some of the folks involved in this effort are Mainers who helped get our Clean Elections Act off the ground in 1996! Please ask your member of Congress and our Senators to sign this pledge.

Also, there are new articles about Clean Elections in Maine posted on the resources page.

Column about Clean Elections by Lu Bauer
and CE filing deadline passes for party candidates

4/24/06 - There was a good column by Lu Bauer in the Lakes Region Suburban Weekly on Friday. I have mirrored it here.

Also in the news, the deadline for qualifying for Clean Elections for party candidates was last week. You can keep track of candidates certified for Clean Elections by going to the Ethics Commission website. Over 80% of legislative candidates are trying to qualify for Clean Elections funding this year.

Two GOP Candidates for Governor anticipate qualifying for Clean Elections funding!

4/7/06 - Both State Senator Chandler Woodcock and State Senator Peter Mills announced yesterday that they expect to qualify for Clean Elections funding. Woodcock was turned his qualifying contributions in yesterday and Mills is expected to do the same shortly. Read the Sun Journal article or the AP article for more details. Also, Woodcock's campaign released this press release which talks about the value of using the Clean Election system.

UPDATE on CE Fund!

3/23/06 - The legislature's appropriations committee passed out a budget a few days ago that restores $1.2 million to the Clean Election Fund. While it falls short of what we are calling for ($4.8 million) this is likely to be enough for this year's races. However, that is not certain. The program is also already borrowing from the 2007 appropriation. We will continue to fight for a full restoration, but this is a good second step (last year we secured $2.4 million in restoration, so that was the first step).

The Bangor Daily News does follow-up editorial

3/2/06 - The Bangor Daily News editorializes again in support of restoring the Clean Election Fund.

They just keep coming!
Another editorial and a good letter

2/23/06 - The Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel, which share an editorial board, today editorialized for a second time this year in support of Clean Elections. Also printed in the paper was a letter to the editor from Sarah Walton in support of Clean Elections.

A new editorial and another story about Clean Elections

2/21/06 - This morning, the Portland Press Herald published another editorial in support of restoring the Clean Election Fund. There was also an article running in all the Blethen papers about how candidates are finding it's not easy to qualify for Clean Election funding for a gubernatorial candidacy.

News about Clean Election Fund

2/16/06 - Yesterday we had a very successful press conference regarding the Clean Election Fund restoration effort. After that, we went into a hearing on the matter. Everything went rather well. Our press release is available here and I have summarized recent press on our blog.

California Assembly passes Clean Elections and news from here in Maine

2/1/06 Even more news! California's State Assembly passed a Clean Elections law on Monday! Now we will see where it goes from here. We got a great editorial in the Portland Press Herald about restoration of the fund. And the Bangor Daily News wrote an article about the use of Clean Elections in the race for Maine Governor. All these will be available via our blog and the resources page as well.

Another great new resource is the Ethics Commission now has a list on their website of who is running with Clean Elections and who is running traditionally.

News abounds around Clean Elections!

1/30/06 Visit our blog to read several new articles and editorials in support of Clean Elections. They are also archived on our resources page.

Article on Clean Election Fund Restoration

1/24/06 - Read an excellent story written by Susan Cover and published in the Portland Press Herald (and possibly other Maine papers) about the need to restore the Clean Election Fund.

Fact Sheet on Clean Election Fund now Available!

1/18/06 - Our big push this legislative session is to restore the borrowed funding from the Maine Clean Election Fund so that it will have enough for this year's race for Governor and legislature. Download the fact sheet here.

Ethics Commission Fines Clean Elections Abusers and Sends a Message to Others Who Might

1/6/06 - Yesterday, the Maine Ethics Commission came down hard on the four individuals who defrauded the Maine Clean Election Act. They have sent a message to all that the integrity of the Clean Election Act will be defended. Read more about it here.

Connecticut Passes Clean Elections!!!

Read all about it on our blog!

GOP Candidates for Governor Lining up to Run with Clean Elections

Of the three announced candidates at this time for the GOP nomination for Governor, ALL OF THEM plan on running with Clean Elections according to the Bangor Daily News! Read about it here.

"The Myth of Small Donor Clout"

Article in The Nation by Nick Nyhart at Public Campaign

Legislative Session Update

Read our summarization of what happened with Maine Citizens for Clean Elections in the last six months.

Clean Election Repeal Effort Dead!

Several legislators recently proposed putting Clean Elections out to the voters for repeal. Both the House and the Senate have now killed the bill. Thank you to all who took action and to the legislators who voted to preserve Clean Elections! You can comment on this at the MCLF Blog.

New Brochure by Northeast Action Features
Maine Women Legislators

"Women. Legislators. Leaders." is a new brochure by Northeast Action about the impact of Clean Elections on women. It will be used around the nation with state Clean Election campaigns and national women's organizations to generate more support for Clean Elections. Three women legislators from Maine are featured in it. Rep. Marilyn Canavan, Senator Christine Savage, and Senate President Beth Edmonds talk about why they appreciate Clean Elections in this brochure.

IT'S TAX SEASON!

A considerable amount of the funds to pay for Clean Elections comes from the $3 check-off on your Maine income tax form. Please do this and tell your friends, neighbors and co-workers to do it as well. The more people who check YES for Clean Elections, the more secure the fund will be.

Bangor Daily News article about Clean Election Fund restoration on resources page.

Click here to read the article from February 24th, 2005

Kennebec Journal article about Clean Election Fund restoration on resources page.

Click here to read the article from February 15th, 2005.

Portland Press Herald supports restoration of Clean Election Fund

Click here to read the editorial from January 31st, 2005.

Clean Elections in the 2004 General Election Analysis Available Now

In the 2004 General Election, more candidates opted to use Clean Elections instead of taking special interest money. Analysis can be found HERE of how many candidates used it and won with it. The analysis also divides out party, gender, incumbency and open seats and compares 2004 to 2002.

KNOW YOUR VOTING RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES!

Click here for bullet points of your rights and responsibilities as a voter and how to avoid making common mistakes when voting.

And view our press release on this issue.

Campaign Finance Editorial Cartoon Link Added to Links Page

Visit our links page for a link to Slate's collection of editorial cartoons about campaign finance reform!

- New October 19th, 2004

Maine Citizens for Clean Elections Brochure Available Online!

Today we added the Maine Citizens for Clean Elections brochure about the Maine Clean Election Act and how to protect it to the website. Please visit the Resources page to download it in PDF format. It may require you to download a font to view it properly. Also on the Resources page is a list of all candidates running in the 2004 General Election who are using the Clean Elections option. There might be two last additions to that list in the next two weeks due to unique circumstances with two candidates.

- New Sept. 15th, 2004

New Book From Public Campaign Is Now Available!

Is That a Politician in Your Pocket?
Washington on $2 Million a Day

By Micah L. Sifry and Nancy Watzman

Every day corporations and other wealthy special interests pump another $2 million into the coffers of our elected officials in Washington ad their party committees. For their money they get an estimated $160 billion a year in tax breaks, subsidies, and other sweet deals. That’s $160 billion lifted from taxpayers’ pockets—or about $1500 per taxpayer per year! More...

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