Winds of Change Newsletter, September 2005     See sidebar for table of contents

Over the Top! OVEC and WV-CAG Reach $$$ Goal

You did it! Thanks to all of you who sent a donation to OVEC or WV Citizen Action Group to help us meet and exceed a $25,000 challenge grant from the Piper Fund by the July 30 deadline.

We extend deep gratitude to DL Hamilton, who took the time to make a personal plea to her friends and colleagues to help insure our success. In addition, in the waning days of our campaign, OVEC and WV CAG members Sam and Winkie Kusic took the pressure off by offering to get us to the top if needed. Big sigh of relief. This work is challenging enough, so their generous offer allowed all of us to relax as we continued our fund-raising efforts. Thanks, Sam and Winkie! Your phone call certainly made my day.

By meeting this challenge, the People’s Election Reform Coalition (OVEC and WV CAG’s joint campaign finance reform project) ensured we will receive an additional $25,000 from the Piper Fund. Yup, that’s on top of the over $27,000 we raised from folks like you. We are bowled over by the outpouring of grassroots support. Most donations came to us in small checks that added up quickly – a sure sign that West Virginians support Fair and Clean Election (FACE) campaign finance reform. Also, our efforts were bolstered by a few larger donations from anonymous donors.

This additional funding will help us continue educating more people statewide about this voluntary, alternative way to finance legislative campaigns known as Fair and Clean Elections – a “voter-owned” system that levels the playing field for candidates (see www.wvoter-owned.org for more info).

If West Virginia’s legislature passed a Fair and Clean Elections bill, like they have in Maine and Arizona, candidates for the statehouse could spend more time talking about issues instead of fund-raising. They could run on the merit of their ideas. People without personal wealth, but who have a wealth of ideas and the energy to serve the public interest, would have access to funds to run a viable campaign. Incumbent legislators who opt to run under this “voter-owned” system would be free to vote their conscience – instead of feeling beholden to special interest contributors. This system can help us to change the FACE of politics in West Virginia!

Here’s how Fair and Clean Elections works: A candidate pledges not to accept any campaign donations from special interests nor contribute any money personally to the campaign. Then he/she collects a set number of $5 contributions from voters in his/her district. This $5 “qualifying contribution” is set low for a reason. It insures greater participation in the democratic process of elections by the voters and has the added benefit of providing a grassroots, volunteer base for the candidate during the campaign.

Getting elected by using public funds under the Fair and Clean Elections system means that the winner owes his/her allegiance to the public – not special interests.

Under our current system, 99.5 percent of all campaign contributions in West Virginia comes from special interest donors. Let’s face it. It’s nearly impossible for any politician to get elected without taking special interest money. But a Fair and Clean Elections system would give politicians a choice.

Let your legislator hear from you today. Tell him/her that West Virginia needs a Fair and Clean Elections system that reduces the undue influence of Big Coal, Big Healthcare, Big Pharmaceuticals and other special interests.