Fair and Clean Elections
Encyclopedia
Fair and Clean Elections was a pilot project in the U.S. State
of New Jersey
for public financing of candidates to the New Jersey Senate
and New Jersey General Assembly
in 2005 and 2007. During the 2007 election cycle, the program took place in Districts 14‚ 24 and 37. This was an extension of the pilot in two legislative districts for General Assembly candidates in the 2005 general election, which included the 6th district. The pilot project's goals were "to improve the unfavorable opinion that many residents of this State have toward the political process‚ to strengthen the integrity of that process and to improve access to it by many individuals and groups who have traditionally not been part of it." The project was based on similar programs in Arizona
and Maine
, with the goal of providing all candidates with equal financial resources.
Candidates seeking to participate in the 2007 pilot were required to raise between 400 and 800 separate contributions of $10 each from registered voters within the district. Candidates who obtained these contributions and refused to accept contributions from other sources were eligible to participate in the program.
The program was abandoned in 2008 after criticism that it had failed to achieve its goals, and concern about the constitutionality of certain key provisions of the law.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
for public financing of candidates to the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
and New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
in 2005 and 2007. During the 2007 election cycle, the program took place in Districts 14‚ 24 and 37. This was an extension of the pilot in two legislative districts for General Assembly candidates in the 2005 general election, which included the 6th district. The pilot project's goals were "to improve the unfavorable opinion that many residents of this State have toward the political process‚ to strengthen the integrity of that process and to improve access to it by many individuals and groups who have traditionally not been part of it." The project was based on similar programs in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, with the goal of providing all candidates with equal financial resources.
Candidates seeking to participate in the 2007 pilot were required to raise between 400 and 800 separate contributions of $10 each from registered voters within the district. Candidates who obtained these contributions and refused to accept contributions from other sources were eligible to participate in the program.
The program was abandoned in 2008 after criticism that it had failed to achieve its goals, and concern about the constitutionality of certain key provisions of the law.