Fair Elections Now Act: Reform Toolkit

Now, more than ever, we need our lawmakers focused on addressing the critical issues we face: creating jobs, fixing the economy, expanding access to health care, dealing with climate change, and not spending their time fund raising for their next campaign. For years in our private money-driven election system, our elected leaders have spent far too much time at $1000 a plate fundraisers and taking money from wealthy industries they’re supposed to be regulating. We’re now dealing with the results of this system.

Modeled on successful programs that are law in seven states and two cities, the Fair Elections Now Act (S.752, H.R.1826) would free our elected officials from the fund raising treadmill and allow them to focus on the challenges we’re up against and the needs of their constituents.

The Fair Elections Now Act would allow candidates to run a viable campaign for elected office with a mixture of small donations limited public financing. Candidates would qualify for limited public funds by raising a specific number of small donations from members of their communities. Once qualified, they would receive four-to-one match on small donations and be prohibited from taking any large donations.

With the cost of campaigns skyrocketing, pay-to-play scandals on the front pages of our newspapers, and the unprecedented challenges we face as a country, we need our lawmakers focused on doing the job they were elected to do–solving our nation’s problems.

The Fair Elections Now Act (S. 752 and H.R. 1826) was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and in the House of Representatives by Reps. John Larson (D-Conn.) and Walter Jones, Jr. (R-N.C.). The bill would allow federal candidates to choose to run for office without relying on large contributions, big money bundlers, or donations from lobbyists, and would be freed from the constant fund raising in order to focus on what people in their communities want.

Here are ways to show your support:

1. Contact Your Members of Congress
2. Sign the Fair Elections Now Petition
3. Write a Letter to the Editor of Your Local Newspaper
4. Small Business Owners Can Sign Our Tailored Statement of Support
5. Inform Your Friends, Neighbors, and Families
6. Blog About It

Here is a summary of the bill: