Maine’s Clean Election Act promotes true democracy in Maine’s legislative races.
For more than a decade now, Maine voters, regardless of political party affiliation, have been able to support their own local House and Senate candidates who participate in Clean Elections with a $5 contribution (online at www.maine.gov/ethics).
With enough of these contributions, Clean Elections candidates qualify to receive public funding help for their campaigns. Very often, this is the only way for a candidate of modest financial means to be able to run an effective, local campaign.
Many candidates for the Maine Legislature are attorneys, who presumably have enough private money to pay for their own campaigns. These are good men and women, mind you, but it strikes me as a bit odd, personally. Maybe what both the tea partiers and the Occupy movement are saying about our increasing national economic disparity holds true.
Simply put, Clean Elections levels the elective playing field, so even non-lawyers can run for office. I’d say it’s a small price to pay for a more representative Legislature.
So strike a blow for democracy, and support Clean Elections.
Mike Hein, candidate
House District 57
Northwest Augusta
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