Campaign Public Financing

PUTTING EVERYDAY NEW MEXICANS BEFORE BIG MONEY INTERESTS

What if people like us could get elected? Ordinary New Mexicans should have a chance to run and win, not just those connected to the wealthy donor class.

Reforms that provide public matching funds to amplify the role of ordinary Americans in financing elections have removed barriers, allowing candidates from different backgrounds to serve in elected office.

In New Mexico, there are municipal and judicial public financing systems — for citywide races in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, and campaigns for statewide and district judicial races.

We are working to expand public financing into more races in more cities and counties.

Citizen-funded election systems mean:

• More ordinary people are able to run for public office
• Candidates spend more time listening to and meeting with their constituents, instead of consistently focusing on raising big money from just a handful of wealthy donors
• Elected officeholders are reflective of the community at large and share similar values and experiences with everyday voters
• Elected officials are less indebted to a narrow set of big money funders, and are more accountable to all voters
• Policies and laws are more responsive to public needs and less skewed by wealthy special interests
• A robust public campaign financing system cuts the corrupting influence of private campaign contributions out of our democracy.