Why Fair Elections?Large campaign contributions, which few Anne Arundel County residents can afford to make, have too much influence over who can run for office, what issues make it onto the agenda, and who wins.
In recent years we have seen the voices of Anne Arundel County families drowned out by a flood of big money, and elected officials forced to be increasingly dependent on large and corporate donors. Our GoalWe're working to establish a Fair Elections program to enable candidates to run for office without relying on large or corporate donors.
Fair Elections programs amplify the voices of Anne Arundel County families by encouraging small-dollar donations, and providing matching funds for candidates who abide by stricter ethics and transparency rules, like not taking giant checks from lobbyists, corporations, or PACs. A Fair Elections program gets corporate and large donor campaign spending out of our elections and ensures everyone can have a voice in our elections. |
The Charter Amendment
IIn order to create a Fair Elections program, Anne Arundel County must first amend their Charter to enable the program. Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Howard County have all taken similar action.
The process to amend the charter is first to collect 10,000 petition signatures from Anne Arundel County voters saying they support an amendment to the County Charter to establish the fund, program, and independent commission to oversee it. Then, the Charter Amendment will be placed on the 2022 General Election ballot for authorization from voters. If authorized by voters, the Anne Arundel County Council would need to finalize the program through the legislative process. |
By Authority: Anne Arundel Voters for Community-Funded Elections, Maria Matiella Novak, Treasurer