Nancy Morgan from BigMoneyOutV, a non-partisan all volunteer group. We support this bill which establishes a tried and true mechanism to amplify the voices of our citizens in our elections. Public financing of elections programs have been effective in reducing the influence of large corporate and wealthy donors while encouraging candidates from diverse backgrounds to run for public office. Just to remind ourselves, Teddy Roosevelt called for public financing of elections in 1907 and the presidential check off system was successfully implemented for every single presidential election from 1976 to 2008. This is not a state-wide program, rather it simply allows localities to implement, with their own funding, a voluntary program of small donor public financing which creates a unique incentive for candidates to engage with many supporters. These systems have been successfully implemented in over 50 jurisdictions around the country, including in many of the counties in MD. Rather than spending time courting lobbyists, let local jurisdictions test out these programs which encourage to actually talk to voters. …. Something that is supposed to happen in election campaigning.

Comments Document

This would allo governing bodies of a county or ity to establish, by ordinance, a system of public campaign finances for elected local offices. IThe ordinances are to specify the criteria for determining when a candidate is eligible for this support. This is entire permissive, giving localities an option they do not otherwise have. Please support.

HB1576 (Cherry) The League of Women Voters supports HB1576.  This bill clarifies procedures for enforcing the prohibition on campaign fundraising during legislative sessions by specifying the State Board of Elections’ responsibility to report alleged violations. We agree that such violations should be reported to the Attorney General, or to the State Supreme Court in the case of an alleged violation by the Attorney General. The League supports actions that limit undue influence from vested interests.  HB1761 (Simon)  The League of Women Voters supports HB1761. The League believes that a public financing option for funding electoral campaigns reduces candidates’ reliance on large private donations and donations from vested special interests. A public funding option for campaign finance gives qualified individuals who don’t have deep pockets, or friends with deep pockets, more incentive to run for elected office, and increases the electorate’s opportunities to evaluate candidates on their merits and not just from paid advertisements. HB1761 is a “may, not must” bill that will give localities that wish to provide a public funding option for certain local elections the opportunity to do so via local ordinance.  HB2140 (Krizek)  The League of Women Voters supports HB2140. Requiring electronic filing of all campaign expenditure reports is a significant step toward promoting transparency and making campaign funding information more easily accessible to the electorate, in the ability both to access the reports and to analyze the information they contain.    HB2165 (Cole)  The League of Women Voters supports legislation restricting personal use of campaign funds. Virginia currently has no legal restrictions on how campaign funds may be used. The League believes that funds raised for a campaign should be used only for expenses directly related to running for office. We support the expanded provisions for what constitutes personal use, and the provision disallowing converting any funds to personal use, not just surpluses at the end of a campaign or term in office    HB2607 (Ware)  The League of Women Voters of Virginia supports legislation that limits campaign contributions. Corporations, particularly public service corporations, and their political action committees should not be allowed to make contributions to any candidate’s campaign committee or political action committee. The issue is the conflict of interest inherent in a corporation’s donating to legislators who have control over their activities, and goes hand in hand with the public perception of corruption and “pay for play.”

As a fifty year citizen of the Commonwealth I appreciate this opportunity to testify in support of HB 2607, HB 2140 and HB 1761. These resolutions will move Virginia toward systems of state and local government more truly representative of all it's citizens and mitigate the legacy of injustice that your fore-bearers in the legislature enshrined in our legal code. I am particularly concerned that, without the remedy provided in HB 2607, our public utilities continue to exert enormous influence over the legislative and regulatory process through the volume and number of campaign contributions they make, with the ultimate aim of maximizing their profits rather than assuring the quality of service they provide. This issue is particularly critical in light of the enormous consequences for electric and water infrastructure related to data center construction. Please give these measures your unanimous support. Sincerely yours, Raymond W. Fary

Please support HB1761. In the most recent election for City Council in Virginia Beach, some candidates had campaign funds well over a hundred thousand dollars. This is a ridiculous sum for a seat on City Council. Ordinary folks cannot raise sums like that. What we are seeing is self-financed campaigns by the wealthy. I might agree with their issues but this is not healthy for grassroots democracy. Please enable localities to set up a system of public campaign financing if they so choose. Let's see if it can work.