2008 Woodie Awards
Clean Money and Elections for Democracy
Lauren Breitenother
Issue date: 4/22/05 Section: News
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Colgate's Democracy Matters gathered with members from schools across New York to lobby legislators to support the Ortiz Paterson Clean Elections Clean Money Bill.
The Ortiz Paterson Clean Elections Clean Money Bill calls for a volunteer public financing system for New York elections. Students gathered to protest outside of the capitol building and then met with individual legislators.
Under the Ortiz Paterson Clean Elections Clean Money Bill, candidates who wish to participate must secure enough small contributions of five dollars per sponsor. Those who gain enough support will qualify for public financing. The total money given to these candidates will be the average money spent in the last two election cycles. As a built-in precaution, the money is not to total more than one-tenth of one percent of total state expenditures.
In exchange for this money, the candidates will be responsible for participating in primary and general election debates.
This relatively menial amount of money could open the doors to new candidates who previously did not have the money to compete. Moreover, clean elections will limit the weighty influence of big donors and corporations.
"Clean elections allow candidates to spend more time talking with constituents and less time fundraising," Democracy Matters Colgate Campus Coordinator senior Brandy Bones said.
Prior to Lobby Day, members of Colgate's chapter of Democracy Matters collected 485 signatures for their petition in support of the bill. The petition states, "this system has created more accountable governments and encouraged more and increasingly diverse candidates to run for office. Public financing has limited the spiraling costs of election campaigns and restored voters' faith in the electoral system."
The petition implores legislators to pass the bill and support campaign finance reform. Colgate members collected 485 signatures, which they combined with petitions from Cornell University, Vassar University, St. Lawrence College and various other schools to achieve over 1,000 total signatures. The signatures were presented at a protest on the stairs of the capital building.
The Ortiz Paterson Clean Elections Clean Money Bill calls for a volunteer public financing system for New York elections. Students gathered to protest outside of the capitol building and then met with individual legislators.
Under the Ortiz Paterson Clean Elections Clean Money Bill, candidates who wish to participate must secure enough small contributions of five dollars per sponsor. Those who gain enough support will qualify for public financing. The total money given to these candidates will be the average money spent in the last two election cycles. As a built-in precaution, the money is not to total more than one-tenth of one percent of total state expenditures.
In exchange for this money, the candidates will be responsible for participating in primary and general election debates.
This relatively menial amount of money could open the doors to new candidates who previously did not have the money to compete. Moreover, clean elections will limit the weighty influence of big donors and corporations.
"Clean elections allow candidates to spend more time talking with constituents and less time fundraising," Democracy Matters Colgate Campus Coordinator senior Brandy Bones said.
Prior to Lobby Day, members of Colgate's chapter of Democracy Matters collected 485 signatures for their petition in support of the bill. The petition states, "this system has created more accountable governments and encouraged more and increasingly diverse candidates to run for office. Public financing has limited the spiraling costs of election campaigns and restored voters' faith in the electoral system."
The petition implores legislators to pass the bill and support campaign finance reform. Colgate members collected 485 signatures, which they combined with petitions from Cornell University, Vassar University, St. Lawrence College and various other schools to achieve over 1,000 total signatures. The signatures were presented at a protest on the stairs of the capital building.