PUBLIC FINANCING: CANDIDATE PARTICIPATION RATES

Topic:
CAMPAIGN FINANCE; CAMPAIGNS (GENERAL); ELECTIONS (GENERAL); STATISTICAL INFORMATION;
Location:
CAMPAIGNS;

OLR Research Report


August 2, 2005		2005-R-0612
PUBLIC FINANCING: CANDIDATE PARTICIPATION RATES

By: Kristin Sullivan, Research Analyst

Arizona and Maine are the first and only states to offer full public financing for gubernatorial, other statewide, and legislative candidates. Table 1 shows average candidate participation in the campaign finance programs since 2000, the program’s effective date for both states.

TABLE 1: CANDIDATE PARTICIPATION RATES IN ARIZONA AND MAINE


*State*	*2000*			*2002*			*2004*
*State*	*Statewide*	*Legislative*	*Statewide and Legislative*	*Statewide*	*Legislative*	*Statewide and Legislative*	*Statewide*	*Legislative*	*Statewide and Legislative*
Arizona
Primary	71%	25%	26%	67%	54%	56%	100%	59%	61%
General	43%	28%	29%	70%	50%	52%	86%	55%	56%
Maine
General	N/A	33%	N/A	N/A	62%	N/A	N/A	78%	N/A

Sources: (1) Arizona Clean Elections Commission and (2) Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices

N/A – Not available

KS: ts