Bill would expand public financing to additional council of state races

Sen. Katie Dorsett (D-Guilford) is among the co-sponsors of Expanded Voter-Owned Elections, legislation introduced by Sen. Martin L. Nesbitt Jr. (D-Buncombe) on Thursday that would extend public financing to candidates the Council of State offices of secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, commissioner of agriculture and commissioner of labor, starting in 2012.

The stated purpose of the legislation is "to ensure the vitality and fairness of democratic elections in North Carolina to the end that any eligible citizen of this state can realistically choose to seek and run for public office. It is also the purpose of this article to protect the constitutional rights of voters and candidates from the detrimental effects of increasingly large amounts of money being raised and spent in North Carolina to influence the outcome of elections."

No word yet on whether Sen. Don Vaughan (D-Guilford), Sen. Linda Garrou, (D-Forsyth), or Sen. Peter S. Brunstetter (R-Forsyth) are planning to suport the bill.

Public financing is already available for candidates for three council of state offices: auditor, superintendent of public instruction and commissioner of insurance.

Democracy North Carolina contends that the program was successful last year, with average contributions dropping from $500 in 2004 to $70 in 2008 in the commissioner of insurance race and the dollar amounts contributed by regulated industries dropping from 66 percent of total contributions in 2004 to just 5 percent in 2008 in the insurance commissioner race.

A summary of the Nesbitt bill by Democracy North Carolina explains how publicly financed elections work: 1) Candidates declare intent to participate in Voter-Owned Elections (those who spend more than $20,000 before filing the declaration are automatically excluded); 2) raise hundreds of small donations from $10 to $200; and 3) stop all fundraising after a qualifying period, accept a total spending limit, and after the election return all unused public funds to the Voter-Owned Elections Fund.

Democracy North Carolina reports that qualifying candidates in contested races receive the average amount spent by the winning candidate in the past three elections.

According to Democracy North Carolina, the benefits of public financing are that it "eliminates the reliance on donors who do business with the agency" and "allows candidates to spend more time with the voters."