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Arizona's future in governor's hands
Tucson Citizen
Thursday, November 6, 2008
The Associated Press
This article is about the temptation Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano might face in deciding whether she should join president-elect Obama’s administration because of the tough time she will face in the state. Although the article mentions a number of challenges Napolitano faces, it states that part of her difficulty will be the last of moderates elected to the legislature. According to the article, this is partly because the state’s Clean Elections program provides money to untenable candidates whose opponents get independent support. The article called for reform of public financing in the state.
 

A first year success, maybe – Our view public financing program diminishes special-interest clout
The Hartford Courant
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Editorial
Two days after Connecticut’s first election using public financing of legislative races, The Hartford Courant called the program a success in this editorial, yet said it was unclear as to whether the program encouraged competition. The editorial specifically said the program lessened the power of special interests in the state. The editorial also says the program was called a success by the executive director of the State Elections Enforcement Commission.

Money doesn't mean voter choice
Norwich Bulletin
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Norwich Bulletin
This editorial in the Norwich Bulletin reported that out of 343 candidates in the 2008 General Assembly election, 238 used public money to fund their political campaign. Yet the editorial questioned whether the program successfully eliminated special interests and made the races more competitive. The editorial recommended that the law be changed so candidates without an opponent do not receive public money as they did in 2008.

Guest Column: Qualified candidates, not money, level political playing field
Norwich Bulletin
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Greg Ellis
This guest column by a Republican challenger in the state’s 37th Assembly District says the rules governing Connecticut’s public financing system discourages participation and that competition will only improve with the participation of qualified candidates in the race. The former candidate did, however, make several recommendations for improving the state’s public financing system. These recommendations include eliminating funding for unopposed candidates, decreasing the maximum funding for all candidates and loosening the qualifying thresholds so that all candidates are equal regardless of political affiliation.

State unions have reason - to worry
Republican-American
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Editorial
Despite its goal of increasing political competition, Connecticut’s first attempt at publicly financing state legislative campaigns actually resulted in a more Democratic legislature, according to this editorial in the Republican-American. Yet the editorial states that the real test will be whether the new legislators are influenced less by special interests than in the past.

State candidates freed from fundraising, outcomes remain same
Journal Inquirer
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Paul Hughes
Despite spending $8.2 million in public money funding legislative campaigns, there was not a significant increase in the number of victorious challengers or open seats that changed hands, according to this article in the Journal Inquirer. Yet 2008 did see a record number of women running for the Legislature, the article stated. Eighty-three percent of House candidates and 75 percent of Senate candidates participated in Connecticut’s Clean Elections program in 2008.

Local News – Feedback sought on campaign finance program
The Advocate
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Susan Haigh
This article features a political newcomer who came close to defeating a veteran state representative in the 2008 election. According to testimony given before the first of two hearing of the program held by the state’s Election Enforcement Commission, if it weren’t for the public financing system, this newcomer would not have had such a strong showing, according to the article. A number of concerns about the program were raised on the hearing, however.

Public financing boon - to Independent Party
Republican-American
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Paul Hughes
Using public money, Waterbury’s Independent Party received more votes in statehouse races than ever before, according to this article in the Republican-American. The Independent candidates quoted in the article said they believe having the money allowed them to be competitive. The article also mentioned a potential area for reform – literature that did not contain negative messages targeting a specific candidate prevented that candidate’s opponent from qualifying for matching funds under the system.

Business as usual – Lobbyists win, Legislature caves in on unclaimed bottle deposits
The Hartford Courant
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Editorial
This editorial criticizes the Legislature’s decision to cut $5 million from the Citizens’ Election Program, which receives $15 million a year from the state’s unclaimed property tax fund. This cut will make it more difficult for the program to work effectively and is an example of the Legislature’s favoring of lobbyists, according to the editorial.
 

Financing fantasy; Public funding won't work
New Hampshire Union Leader
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Editorial
This editorial in the New Hampshire Union Leader states that unless candidates are required to use public money to fund their campaigns, which is unconstitutional, public financing of campaigns is not feasible.

For public financing
Concord Monitor
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Andrew Capen
This letter to the editor advocates for a system of public funding of campaigns crafted by the New Hampshire Public Elections Financing Commission. Under the commission’s proposals, candidates would collect small donations, which would be matched with public money, the letter states.
 

The fallacy of Clean Elections
Times of Trenton
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Alison Littell McHose
In this op-ed, Assemblywomen Alison Littell McHose writes that she believes another pilot program to study clean elections won’t help to end political corruption in New Jersey. Instead, McHose said she believes the issue should be put to voters. McHose also focused on leadership accounts, which she said is the source of “big money in Trenton” and should be closed and said she believes the 2007 law establishing the most recent pilot program fell short of achieving its goals.

'Clean' candidates flourish elsewhere
Times of Trenton
Monday, December 08, 2008
Editorial
In this editorial, the Times of Trenton lamented the termination of New Jersey’s Clean Elections program. The editorial focused on Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts’ August 2008 withdrawal of his bill that would have renewed the clean elections program in 2009 and extended it to primaries. The editorial cited other states that continued with their clean elections programs despite the court rulings Roberts cited as reasons the program should be put on hold.
 

Keeping big money out of N.C.'S judiciary – Supreme Courts decision keeps our appeal
   courts independent
The Charlotte Observer
Friday, November 7, 2008
Observer Staff - Editorial
This editorial is about the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of a constitutional challenge to North Carolina’s pilot program to publicly fund elections. Here, the editorial board of The Charlotte Observer expresses its support of the law and the court’s decision

Insurance race relied less on industry
The News & Observer
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Mark Johnson, Ryan Teague Beckwith, Ben Niolet, Bill Krueger
The decision by candidates for the position of North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance to accept public money for their campaign resulted in industries regulated by the commissioner making fewer political contributions than in previous years, according to this article in The News & Observer.

Public finance plan called success
The Fayetteville Observer
Monday, November 17, 2008
Andrew Barksdale
North Carolina’s public financing pilot program for three statewide positions – insurance commissioner, state auditor and superintendent of public instruction – was called a success by advocates for clean elections, according to this article in The Fayetteville Observer.

Going public
The News & Observer
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Editorial
This editorial in The News & Observer declared public financing of three statewide campaigns “a clear winner” for the state and said it could be a force for change and good government. The editorial called for expansion of the program to additional offices, including the Legislature. According to the article, nearly all candidates in the 2008 program opted for public money.

The report card
Asheville Citizen-Times
Monday, November 24, 2008
STAFF
This feature in the Asheville Citizen-Times gave an A- to North Carolina’s public financing pilot program, which it said helped improve “some of the dynamics” of the state’s race for state insurance commissioner.

Campaign funding plan is debated
Asheville Citizen-Times
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Jordan Schrader
Advocates for publicly funded campaigns called North Carolina’s 2008 pilot program a success and said they will try to tweak and expand the program for next year in this article in the Asheville Citizen-Times. The article also quotes opponents of clean elections as saying the program limits free speech and that they believe taxpayer money could be used in a better way. In addition, funding for the program could be hard to come by next year, as the state faces a budget shortfall, according to the article.
 

The emperor still has no clothes
The Oregonian
Saturday, November 8, 2008
The Oregonian
Portland’s public financing system had its first win in 2008, yet this editorial questions whether the win was worth it, given the fact that the system has cost $1.6 million since 2006. The editorial also questions whether the system has helped make elections more competitive in Portland and said the system should not have been established without voter approval.
 

Lawmaker working on bill to address public-financing system for races
The Olympian
Monday, November 24, 2008
Brad Shannon
Despite a budget shortfall and a quiet election season for judges on the Washington Supreme Court, two legislators are working a bill that would create a public financing system for the court, according to this article in The Olympian. The role of special interest money in elections for Supreme Court justices has grown in Washington, the article states.

Public financing of campaigns is the answer
The Olympian
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Op-Ed
This op-ed in The Olympian endorsed a system of public financing for all campaigns, including those in the state of Washington.
 

Now's the right time to scream for public financing of elections
The Capital Times
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Ed Garvey
This op-ed by a Wisconsin attorney calls for public financing of elections, which he said are now “little more than auctions.”

'Issue ads' to get new scrutiny – Campaign finance reform to move up on legislature's agenda
Wisconsin State Journal
Monday, December 1, 2008
Mark Pitsch
The opportunity to enact campaign finance reform in Wisconsin, which has failed to enact such reform several times during the past decade, is stronger now than it has been because Democrats control the governor’s office and the Legislature, according to this article in the Wisconsin State Journal. Some of the reforms being considered include a requirement that issue ads disclose their funders, that fundraising be prohibited during the budget process and that public money be used to fund Supreme Court, legislative, and statewide campaigns. The article states that Democrats have said campaign finance reform is a priority for them, although the article also mentioned budgetary challenges to meaningful reform.