Click here to download a PowerPoint presentation of the poll results.
Or click here to view the PowerPoint presentation online.
For immediate release.
June 28, 2007
Contact: Bryan Warner, N.C. Center for Voter Education, 919.839.1200
Study: N.C. Voters Support Public Campaign Financing for Council of State
RALEIGH – As the state House of Representatives considers a pilot program to create public campaign financing for some Council of State races, a new statewide survey reveals intense voter concern about the role of special interests in deciding elections and strong support for reform.
The results come as supporters of campaign reform are backing the Voter-Owned Elections Pilot (House Bill 1517), which would make public campaign financing available to candidates for the offices of commissioner of insurance, state auditor and state superintendent of public instruction.
The study, commissioned by the nonpartisan N.C. Center for Voter Education, finds that 68 percent of North Carolina voters favor public campaign financing for those Council of State offices that would be included in the proposed program. Strong public support held steady even after polled voters were presented with arguments both for and against the program.
“Those voters surveyed were not being asked to comment on something they didn’t understand,” says Chris Heagarty, executive director of the N.C. Center for Voter Education. “They knew that these kinds of reforms have pros and cons, but when they weighed any downside of these reforms against the way we elect these officials right now, they judged the current system to be broken and are ready for a change.”
Chief among the study’s conclusions:
– Voters have virtually no knowledge of many of the statewide elected officials in North Carolina and aren’t sure what these offices actually do in state government.
– There is a high level of concern over the influence of special interests in determining the outcome of elections and the conflicts of interests that potentially arise from their donations to candidates.
– This lack of voter knowledge about candidates coupled with distaste for special-interest donations are key factors in wide support for public financing in North Carolina, especially for down-ticket statewide offices, including the Council of State.
The poll finds that 92 percent of state voters believe that campaign contributions influence the decisions of elected officials – with 53 percent saying that these contributions have a great deal of influence. Also, 84 percent of voters are troubled by possible conflicts of interest in state government due to campaign contributions.
When presented with two candidates whose only difference is that one is taxpayer-funded while the other is financed by special interests, a majority of voters surveyed – 54 percent – would cast their ballot for the taxpayer-funded contender. Only 28 percent would choose the candidate who uses special-interest dollars.
“The relatively small amount of money that it would cost the average voter, and the potential benefits seen in a more efficiently run government not influenced by large contributors, outweighs concerns over spending tax dollars,” says Heagarty. “Even those voters that are not entirely sure that these reforms will answer all of their concerns are willing to try them out, because they are convinced that the current system is broken.”
The Voter-Owned Elections Pilot would be based on North Carolina’s successful system of public financing for its Supreme Court and Court of Appeals races, which enjoys the support of 69 percent of voters, according to the study. Like the judicial program, participating candidates would have the option of accepting public funds for their campaigns, if they abide by strict fundraising and spending limits, while rejecting special-interest money.
The measure would also produce a voter guide with information on the candidates vying for the offices included in the pilot program. The study finds that 85 percent of voters say a lack of information about the contenders for Council of State means that these officials are often elected for reasons other than their qualifications.
“Voters want more information about the candidates, and less special-interest money filling up campaign coffers,” says Heagarty. “According to this research, the Voter-Owned Elections Pilot reflects the will of North Carolina voters.”
The poll was conducted statewide by the Alexandria, V.A.-based polling firm American Viewpoint from June 12-13 among 600 registered North Carolina voters and has a margin of error of 4 percent.
The N.C. Center for Voter Education is a Raleigh-based nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, dedicated to improving elections in North Carolina.
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The Voter Update Vidcast takes a look at what voters think about public financing for Council of State elections.
Click here to watch.
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