Clean Election Commission Readies For Upcoming Voting

Between now and November 2002, a knock at the door could result in being asked for a donation from a candidate running for a political office through the Citizens Clean Election Commission.

The Citizens Clean Election Commission was voted into existence in 1998 and provides funding for candidates to run for political office. The funding from the non-partisan organization is given to keep special interest monies out of elections. Candidates running for any state office from the Governor to the state legislation are entitled to be a Clean Elections candidate.

The funding also helps increase competition between the candidates by encouraging new candidates to run against incumbents because of the availability of extra funding.

Candidates running for office are not required to be a Clean Election candidate, they can decide if they would like to run in the traditional method or use the Commission’s funds, but they cannot do both.

One way a citizen can get involved with the Clean Election Commission is by giving a contribution to a Clean Elections candidate once campaigning begins, which is set for August 1st. Each Clean Election candidate is required to receive a certain number of contributions in order to receive money from the Commission, just like receiving nomination signatures. The number varies with each position. The contributor must be a registered voter to be counted in the necessary number of contributions and, if the contribution is for a State Legislature seat, the contributor must also be in that candidate’s district.

Another way the Commission receives funds is by a citizen checking a box on the first page of their Arizona tax return that will either give the taxpayer $5 extra with their return or decrease the amount they have to pay by $5. These extra funds that are given to the taxpayers were established when the Clean Elections Act came into effect. The contribution is then matched and given to the Clean Election Commission. The $10 per checked box is taken out of the Arizona State General Fund. The Commission is not given a budget by the state like most organizations, the money they are given is the result of the tax returns being checked. People can also donate the greater of $530 or 20 percent of their state income tax return to the Commission.

Jill Collins, spokesperson for the Commission said that whatever a person contributes will be matched dollar for dollar in the form of a tax credit.

“The Commission allows the candidates to spend time with their constituents rather than doing fundraising activities with the big pocketbooks,” Collins said.

Clean Election funding will be available in the upcoming election and already has a couple of candidates that have applied and qualified to be a Clean Election candidate.

The Commission was active for the first time last year and Collins said it was a success.

“We have 16 people in office now that were Clean Election candidates,” she said.

She predicted 2002 to be the big year since every seat from the Governor to the Legislature will be up for election. Candidates running for each position are eligible to be a Clean Election candidate.

Last year the Commission won a lawsuit regarding its constitutionality and no appeals have been filled.

“We had a lot of candidates who wanted to use us, but didn’t because they were afraid the money wouldn’t be there, because we wouldn’t be there,” Collins said.

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