Public Financing
Public funding of political campaigns: no proposed reform would work better to reduce the power of big money in American elections and restore confidence in American democracy.Public financing limits the influence of big money campaign donations and so encourages candidates with limited resources to run for office. Plus, it frees politicians from the burden and distraction involved in constant fundraising.
The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law works with policy makers and activists interested in decreasing the power of big money and concomitant increase in the impact each individual citizen has at the polls. Working on the federal, state and local levels, we help draft and enact legislation, provide legal analysis, and assist in the defense of campaign finance laws when they are challenged in court.
Recently Brennan Center staff helped Senators Durbin (D-IL) and Specter (R-PA) draft the "Fair Elections Now Act," a bill that would create a public financing system for congressional elections. The Center co-authored and released "Breaking Free with Fair Elections," which explains how congressional public financing would make our federal government more honest, transparent, and accountable.
Our work on the state level involves efforts to help draft public financing legislation tailored to local interests and needs. When systems we supported were passed into law and came under attack, our lawyers helped defend them in court. We successfully beat back a challenge to the public financing systems in Maine, and we are defending our victories in Arizona and North Carolina as they are attacked on appeal. We are currently working to defend Connecticut's system of public financing, which is scheduled to go into effect in time for the 2008 legislative elections but is currently under attack in federal court.
This case is the sixth challenge to Arizona’s optional system of full public financing for people seeking state office.
North Carolina Right to Life Committee Fund for Independent Political Expenditures v. Leake
The Brennan Center is intervening to help defend the nation’s first voluntary full public financing program for judicial elections.
Green Party of Connecticut v. Jeffrey Garfield, et al.
In 2005, the Connecticut General Assembly became the first state legislature in the nation to pass a full public financing law that applies to its own campaigns. The Brennan Center is helping to defend this system and Connecticut’s ban on campaign contributions from lobbyists and state contractors.
The Public Financing Landscape
The Fourth Circuit recently delivered some good news for public financing advocates…
Protecting the Rights of Millionaires
The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday in a campaign finance case, Davis v. FEC. This Court has had a rather ominous track record on campaign finance reform....
More information emerged yesterday about the scope and scale of the “small donor revolution.” The Campaign Finance Institute released data on individual donations to presidential candidates....
Illustrations by Risko
Federal Appeals Court Upholds North Carolina’s Judicial Public Funding Law
Fourth Circuit Panel Affirms Dismissal: State citizens concerned about fair and impartial courts celebrated a major victory today in their defense of the state’s landmark public funding program for appellate court candidates.
“Public Funding: The Good The Bad And The Ugly”
Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano speaks about money in politics at Brennan Center’s first annual Living Constitution lecture.
Federal Court Dismisses Core Challenges to Connecticut’s Public Campaign Finance Law
Public Funding Advocates Hail Ruling on Constitutionality of Matching Provisions
Testimony to South Carolina State Senate
Ciara Torres-Spelliscy provided a constitutional perspective on the Senate’s full public financing proposal.
S. 1285 - Fair Elections Now Act
This bill introduced by Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) would create a system of full public financing for federal Senate campaigns.
Testimony of Suzanne Novak to the Connecticut General Assembly
Suzanne Novak offers constitutional analysis and recommendations for revision of Connecticut’s comprehensive campaign finance reform legislation.
Money and Politics: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
Remarks from the Governor of Arizona at the Brennan Center’s first Living Constitution Lecture
Public Financing of Campaigns Off to a Great Start
Here in Connecticut, the system offers a chance for the state to shed its reputation as “Corrupticut” and instead provide a model of open and honest government.
Memo Affirming Constitutionality of Full Public Financing for Congressional Elections
The essential elements of full public financing systems are constitutional.