County’s public campaign financing already a ‘big win’ for fair elections
We’re less than a year away from the 2022 elections, and we all know what that means: mailboxes stuffed with fliers, nonstop attack ads on TV and radio, and, above all, the paralyzing reality that wealthy donors and political action committees are fueling the fire. It’s all too easy to feel overwhelmed by the flood of big money in politics, but there’s reason for optimism.
On Election Day last year, Baltimore County voters said “yes” to creating a new small donor public financing program by voting in favor of Question A. As a result, Baltimore County Executive John “Johnny O” Olszewski Jr., County Council President Julian Jones and Councilmember David Marks recently introduced bipartisan legislation to implement a Fair Election Fund in Baltimore County.
The new program will help reduce the role of wealthy and corporate donors, increase small donor participation and build faith in local elections and government. If approved by the County Council, Baltimore County will join Baltimore City, Howard County, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County in this new way to fund elections.
Such efforts are increasingly important in the face of the growing influence of wealthy and corporate donors in our elections as well as the rising cost of running for office. Large donors influence which candidates run, what issues that these candidates need to prioritize during their campaigns, and ultimately who ends up winning these elections. Wealthy individuals and corporations that donate to political campaigns often have different views than you or I on issues like taxes, zoning laws and a host of other issues. They should not have a larger voice in our democratic process than we do.
The Fair Election program will reduce the influence of big money in politics. Candidates for office will be able to opt-in and commit to only taking small dollar contributions from individuals. In
exchange, the small contributions they receive will get matched. This program allows elected officials to fundraise from their constituents who can’t make thousand dollar contributions instead of big money donors, and ensures candidates are funded by the people of Baltimore County, not just wealthy, corporate or out-of-county donors.
The Fair Election program will allow candidates without access to big money to run for office. Small donors come from a much more diverse background than big donors and are more likely to be women, minorities or immigrants. This will allow candidates to fundraise primarily from Black, brown, and working class small-dollar donors who live in Baltimore while still running a financially competitive campaign.
Most important, these programs work. Maryland Public Interest Research Group Foundation released a study in 2019 that found Montgomery County’s Fair Election program allowed participating candidates to run competitive and successful campaigns without
accepting any contributions from large or corporate donors. Additionally, the data shows that participating candidates received nearly twice as many contributions from individual donors and ran competitive campaigns that could win elections.
The program on the table in Baltimore County was based on existing successful programs throughout the state and developed by a bipartisan task force
that included county legislators, good government groups, local activists and folks who have run for office.
Marylanders across the political spectrum agree that money plays a corrosive role in our politics, so it’s exciting that the Baltimore County Council has a chance to score a big win for our democratic process and help restore confidence in our political system. I’m hopeful they’ll take it.