"I think it's tremendously important that we bring trust back into the political process." -former Alaska State Senator Arliss Sturgulewski.
"Public financing is the way to stay free - then you don't have any obligations to the people that give you money." - former Alaska Governor, Walter Hickel
"Please vote yes on Ballot Measure #3, publicly financed elections are clean elections." - former Alaska Governor, Tony Knowles
"Public financing is the way to stay free - then you don't have any obligations to the people that give you money." - former Alaska Governor, Walter Hickel
"Please vote yes on Ballot Measure #3, publicly financed elections are clean elections." - former Alaska Governor, Tony Knowles
We have a chance to clean up our elections
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| Vic Fischer with Michelle Meyer, Joe McKinnon and Tim June |
Originally published in Senior Voice, June 2008
Fifty years ago, Alaska's constitution and statehood empowered us Alaskans to manage our own state. Since then, however, big money from powerful corporations and special interests have acquired far too much influence over our elections and, therefore, over our political process. It's time we Alaskans did something to stop that.
The first step took place this past winter when more than 33,000 Alaskans signed an initiative petition to establish a Clean Elections program for Alaska. As the next step, we will all have the opportunity to adopt the Clean Elections Initiative into law by voting YES on Ballot Proposition #3 on the August 26th Primary Election ballot.
Clean Elections is a voluntary, public-private funding program for state elections. It is designed to reduce the influence of special interest money, so that elections are about ideas - not who can raise the most dollars. Clean Elections levels the playing field so regular people, those who are not independently wealthy, will actually have a fair chance to stand for election, and elected officials will be accountable to the voters in their districts and not to big-money donors.
The Clean Elections system has a proven track record of reducing the big special interest money and raising meaningful issues that reflect people's values and needs. The system enjoys enormous public support in states where it has been implemented.
Democracy requires constant vigilance. The Clean Elections Initiative looks like our best opportunity to make the next major improvement in our democracy.
Vic Fischer is a former Alaska State Senator and delegate to the Alaska Constitutional Convention in 1955