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For immediate release.
August 2, 2007
Contact: Bryan Warner, N.C. Center for Voter Education, 919.839.1200

Victory for Reform as Voter-Owned Elections Pilot Project Passes N.C. Legislature

RALEIGH - In what is hailed as a substantial victory for campaign reform, the N.C. Senate today approved the Voter-Owned Elections pilot project.

The program will take effect for the 2008 elections, offering public campaign financing to candidates for three Council of State offices -- state auditor, commissioner of insurance and state superintendent of public instruction.  The measure also calls for a voter guide featuring these candidates, to be produced by the State Board of Elections. Legislators will evaluate the program after the elections and make recommendations about its future.

The favorable vote in the Senate comes after the measure (H-1517) was approved in the state House.  The bill now goes to Gov. Mike Easley for his consideration.

“Our state lawmakers should be applauded for having the will to pass this key reform,” says Chris Heagarty, executive director of the nonpartisan N.C. Center for Voter Education. “It’s never easy to buck business-as-usual politics, but giving candidates a way to run for office based on the number of supporters they have, rather than the size of their checkbooks, is an important change.”

An independent study commissioned by the N.C. Center for Voter Education just weeks before today’s Senate vote finds a solid majority -- 68 percent -- of state voters in favor of the Voter-Owned Elections pilot project.

The poll reveals widespread concern among voters about the potentially negative impact of money in state politics.  According to the survey, 84 percent of North Carolina voters are concerned by possible conflicts of interest in government due to special-interest donations to candidates, including those for the Council of State.

Also, the study finds that most voters are unable to name Council of State officials and have little knowledge about the role of these offices.  More voters are familiar with Jack Bauer, the fictional star of the television show “24,” than they are with many current state office holders, according to the poll.

“Even well-qualified incumbents have a hard time getting their message across to voters, especially if they refuse to take funds from those interests their offices would regulate,” says Heagarty. “Using public funds for a statewide voter guide will help empower voters with the facts they need about the candidates to make an informed vote.”

The poll was conducted from June 12-13 among 600 registered North Carolina voters by the Alexandria, VA-based polling firm American Viewpoint, 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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Click here to learn more about the Voter-Owned Elections pilot project study.