Fair Elections: Commonsense Reform

Americans for Campaign Reform has joined with Senators Durbin (D-IL) and Specter (D-PA) and Reps. Larson (D-CT) and Jones (R-NC) to advance the Fair Elections Now Act in the 111th Congress. The bills would establish a voluntary system of Fair Elections funding for qualified House and Senate candidates who say no to special interest funding and raise only small donations. The Fair Elections Now Act is supported by a bipartisan coalition of twenty-five national organizations and dozens of respected leaders across business, labor, education, faith, and the environment.

How It Works | Funding Fair Elections | Declare Your Support
Co-sponsors

How It Works

1. Candidate Qualifying & Seed Money

Candidates seeking to participate in Fair Elections collect a set number of qualifying contributions of $5-$100 each from their constituents. Contributions provide seed money to jump-start the candidate’s campaign and are limited to residents of the candidate’s home state.

2. Primary Funding

Qualifying candidates receive a Fair Elections start-up grant to launch their campaign and additional matching funds of $4 for every $1 raised from their constituents in contributions up to $100 each. Matching funds are capped at a competitive spending threshold, consistent with historic spending levels and media market costs. Qualifying candidates may raise additional unmatched contributions up to $100 each.

3. General Election Funding

Participating candidates who receive their party's nomination are eligible to receive a competitive public grant for use in the general election. Funding levels are recommended by an independent commission, balancing the need for voter choice and fiscal responsibility. In return for public funding, participating candidates agree to accept only small donations of $100 or less.

4. Discounted Airtime & Public Debates

Participating candidates are eligible to receive discounted media rates for campaign communications in the run-up to the primary and general election campaigns. Media vouchers are also provided to participating nominated candidates for use in the general election. Candidates agree to take part in public debates.

Funding Fair Elections

1. Cost Estimate

The estimated cost of the Fair Elections program for House and Senate elections is $1-$1.5 billion per year, depending on the level of candidate participation.

2. Funding Mechanism

The Senate bill calls for funding from a 0.5% surcharge on government contracts in excess of $10 million. The House bill calls for funding from 10% of the proceeds from broadcast spectrum auctions.

Declare Your Support

The single most important thing you can do to help is to call or write your representatives in Congress and ask them to support Fair Elections. Use our easy tool to declare your support.

Cosponsors

Joining with Senators Durbin (D-IL) and Specter (D-PA) and Reps. Larson (D-CT) and Jones (R-NC) are the Fair Elections co-sponsors:

Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] - 4/21/2009
Rep Andrews, Robert E. [NJ-1] - 10/15/2009
Rep Arcuri, Michael A. [NY-24] - 5/19/2009
Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] - 6/19/2009
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] - 4/21/2009
Rep Boccieri, John A. [OH-16] - 10/8/2009
Rep Braley, Bruce L. [IA-1] - 10/14/2009
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] - 3/31/2009
Rep Chandler, Ben [KY-6] - 9/22/2009
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1] - 9/14/2009
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] - 3/31/2009
Rep Connolly, Gerald E. "Gerry" [VA-11] - 6/2/2009
Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] - 6/15/2009
Rep Cooper, Jim [TN-5] - 3/31/2009
Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12] - 7/29/2009
Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2] - 4/21/2009
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7] - 6/2/2009
Rep Dahlkemper, Kathleen A. [PA-3] - 5/12/2009
Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] - 9/9/2009
Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10] - 5/20/2009
Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3] - 5/6/2009
Rep Doggett, Lloyd [TX-25] - 6/9/2009
Rep Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14] - 3/31/2009
Rep Edwards, Donna F. [MD-4] - 3/31/2009
Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5] - 7/14/2009
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14] - 7/21/2009
Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2] - 7/15/2009
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] - 5/12/2009
Rep Foster, Bill [IL-14] - 6/9/2009
Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] - 10/8/2009
Rep Grayson, Alan [FL-8] - 4/21/2009
Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] - 4/22/2009
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] - 7/22/2009
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4] - 10/8/2009
Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] - 6/2/2009
Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36] - 10/6/2009
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23] - 9/14/2009
Rep Heinrich, Martin [NM-1] - 3/31/2009
Rep Himes, James A. [CT-4] - 4/21/2009
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] - 5/6/2009
Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] - 10/6/2009
Rep Hodes, Paul W. [NH-2] - 6/2/2009
Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] - 3/31/2009
Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] - 6/2/2009
Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] - 6/3/2009
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2] - 7/23/2009
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] - 9/14/2009
Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX-30] - 9/16/2009
Rep Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [GA-4] - 6/2/2009
Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] - 3/31/2009
Rep Kagen, Steve [WI-8] - 7/27/2009
Rep Kaptur, Marcy [OH-9] - 10/1/2009
Rep Kildee, Dale E. [MI-5] - 10/14/2009
Rep Kind, Ron [WI-3] - 7/16/2009
Rep Kosmas, Suzanne M. [FL-24] - 6/10/2009
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] - 5/5/2009
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] - 4/30/2009
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5] - 7/29/2009
Rep Loebsack, David [IA-2] - 10/15/2009
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] - 6/4/2009
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] - 7/27/2009
Rep Lujan, Ben Ray [NM-3] - 9/14/2009
Rep Maffei, Daniel B. [NY-25] - 4/21/2009
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] - 7/10/2009
Rep Markey, Betsy [CO-4] - 6/10/2009
Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7] - 10/6/2009
Rep Massa, Eric J. J. [NY-29] - 5/11/2009
Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4] - 6/4/2009
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] - 5/20/2009
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] - 7/29/2009
Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] - 7/30/2009
Rep Miller, Brad [NC-13] - 9/25/2009
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] - 7/22/2009
Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] - 5/19/2009
Rep Murphy, Christopher S. [CT-5] - 5/5/2009
Rep Murphy, Scott [NY-20] - 10/6/2009
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] - 3/31/2009
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC] - 10/14/2009
Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1] - 9/25/2009
Rep Ortiz, Solomon P. [TX-27] - 7/24/2009
Rep Perriello, Thomas S.P. [VA-5] - 6/8/2009
Rep Peters, Gary C. [MI-9] - 9/10/2009
Rep Pingree, Chellie [ME-1] - 3/31/2009
Rep Platts, Todd Russell [PA-19] - 3/31/2009
Rep Polis, Jared [CO-2] - 3/31/2009
Rep Price, David E. [NC-4] - 9/17/2009
Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] - 7/31/2009
Rep Reyes, Silvestre [TX-16] - 7/14/2009
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] - 7/15/2009
Rep Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [MD-2] - 6/25/2009
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] - 5/19/2009
Rep Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [VA-3] - 10/14/2009
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] - 7/30/2009
Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] - 6/4/2009
Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] - 4/21/2009
Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [NY-28] - 7/21/2009
Rep Smith, Adam [WA-9] - 5/13/2009
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13] - 9/9/2009
Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2] - 6/10/2009
Rep Thompson, Bennie G. [MS-2] - 10/8/2009
Rep Tonko, Paul D. [NY-21] - 7/31/2009
Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] - 10/1/2009
Rep Walz, Timothy J. [MN-1] - 10/8/2009
Rep Welch, Peter [VT] - 4/21/2009
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 6/3/2009
Rep Wu, David [OR-1] - 6/16/2009
Rep Yarmuth, John A. [KY-3] - 9/23/2009