Anna Kellar, Program Director, Maine Citizens for Clean Elections Speaks

 

“Maine Citizens for Clean Elections is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization working to ensure that Maine’s campaign finance laws, elections, and government serve the public interest, both in principle and in practice. We engage Maine people from across the political spectrum, using research, education, and outreach to further fairness, inclusion, and opportunity in our politics.

 

“Anna Kellar joined MCCE in August 2014. Anna grew up in Maine, and has experience in grassroots organizing and local political campaigns. Prior to joining MCCE, Anna worked with Catholic Charities to help newly arrived refugees in Maine. Anna has a bachelors degree in Political Science from Yale and a Masters in Conflict Studies from the London School of Economics. Her experience with democracy and anti-corruption campaigns in Eastern Europe and Central Asia makes her all the more committed to preserving and strengthening Maine's first-in-the-nation Clean Elections program.”

 

Anna used a Power Point Presentation, “Money, Politics, and Maine and How They Intersect”.  President Lincoln was the first president to express concern over the power of wealth to influence elections.

 

.26 % of donors have contributed 71% of the funds raised so far in 2016. 91 % of voters say that there is too much money in politics. 74 % feel that government officials put their own interest ahead of the country’s interest. 

 

In 2008, 85 % of Maine legislators used “clean” funds. By 2014, it had fallen to 52 %. However, on November 3, 2015 Mainers voted to restore Clean Elections and to reduce the influence of money in politics in a landslide victory.  Consequently, this year the percentage has risen to 63 %.

 

Maine has lead the way nationally. The next Legislature needs to restore the funds which were “borrowed” from the Clean Election Fund. Interestingly, many legislatures who had originally opposed the act ultimately have used it.