Public Campaign Finance
Putting community voices ahead of corporate interests
James Is In
One of the first major decisions every candidate for County Executive will make this election cycle is whether or not to participate in this new system that empowers community voices and reduces the influence of big monied interests in our elections.
James is the only candidate running 100% on the public financing system.
Why It Matters
1. It Filters Out Candidates
The candidates that voters get to choose from have been pre-vetted and in many cases selected by corporations and other large donors. If a candidate can't raise enough money, they can't get their message out. Have you ever not liked any of the options on your ballot? This is a big part of the reason why.
2. Fundraising Distracts From Governing
Have you ever felt that elected officials only come around right before an election, and that they don't pay you the same level of attention when they are actually governing? The focus on fundraising often comes at the expense of community and constituent issues.
3. Big Money Influences Decisions
When an elected official votes to benefit their corporate donors over their constituents, communities are left wondering if they ever even had a chance to have their voices heard.
This is corruption at the systems level, and we have to stop it.
Anne Arundel County's public financing system reduces the influence of large and corporate donors and amplifies the voices of county residents. It's a proven system used by both Democrats and Republicans.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the public campaign finance system established?
This system was created by Bill 25-23, which passed the County Council on June 5, 2023 and was signed into law by County Executive Pittman on June 13th.
Is this new system voluntary?
Yes. Candidates must choose to participate.
What restrictions do participating candidates follow?
Candidates that participate agree to (a) only take money from people, and (b) limit donations to $250 or less.
What benefits do participating candidates receive?
Candidates that choose to participate, and then qualify, receive public matching funds based on the number and amount of small dollar contributions they receive from county residents.
What do candidates have to do to qualify?
Before a candidate for County Executive is eligible to receive matching public funds they must both: (a) raise $40,000 in qualifying contributions from county residents, and (b) receive donations from 500 individual county residents. This safeguards county tax dollars by ensuring that only candidates with a broad base of support are eligible.
Can a candidate using this system be competitive?
Yes. A candidate for County Executive can draw up to $750,000 from the public fund. That amount, plus what they raise in small contributions, makes it realistic to run a million dollar race. Candidates in neighboring jurisdictions have used similar systems and won.
Is public campaign finance a partisan issue?
No. Both Democrats and Republicans have used public financing. Former Governor Larry Hogan used public financing during his first, successful campaign for Governor.
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