Should the voice that North Carolina citizens have in their government depend on how much money they have in their wallets?
Growing up, most of us were taught that democracy means one person, one vote. But leaders in the General Assembly now want to turn back the clock on reforms that have helped ensure the voice of voters isn't drowned out by big money.
Few can deny that the growing flood of special-interest money poses a risk to free and fair elections. Spurred by the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United decision in 2010, which loosened rules on corporate and union spending on elections, wealthy donors and groups shoveled more than $400 million into congressional races alone last year, shattering all earlier records.
In North Carolina, the price tag of running for office is rising as well. That makes it harder for everyday citizens to run for office. And it also puts our political system at risk of being influenced by the highest bidder.
Our state leaders seem to agree that the skyrocketing cost of campaigns - and the treadmill of special-interest fundraising - isn't sustainable. As state Rep. Bert Jones, a Republican from Rockingham County, recently said on the House floor, "Most people think that these political races cost too much money."
Another Republican, House Majority Leader Rep. Paul Stam, echoed the need to "level the playing field" in elections.
But Reps. Jones and Stam weren't talking about a plan to lessen the influence of money in politics. They were speaking in favor of a bill, which narrowly passed the House 60-58 and now goes to the Senate, to nearly cut in half the state's early voting period before Election Day.
Early voting is immensely popular: 900,000 North Carolina voters used it in 2010 and 2.4 million in 2008. Indeed, early voting was one of the key reasons North Carolina had the biggest increase in voter turnout in the country between 2004 and 2008.
There's no evidence that slashing early voting would make a dent in how much candidates spend on elections. But North Carolina does have a successful program with a track record of reducing our elected officials' dependence on campaign money and wealthy interests: Voter-Owned Elections.
Ironically, the same lawmakers who are trying to restrict early voting also want to do away with our state's landmark Voter-Owned Elections program.
Voter-Owned Elections require candidates to raise hundreds of small donations from registered voters and also abide by strict spending and fundraising limits. In return, they receive a public grant for their campaign. By giving elected officials a way to run for office without having to rely on big donors or special interests, Voter-Owned Elections minimize the potential for corruption and allow more citizens to have a voice in decisions affecting our state.
North Carolina has two Voter-Owned Elections programs. One is for candidates for the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, which keeps our appellate courtrooms from being inundated with money by they very same lawyers or litigants that may appear before a judge. The program has proved immensely popular: Since it began in 2004, 77 percent of qualifying judicial candidates have chosen to use it.
The second is aimed at candidates running for state insurance commissioner, superintendent of public instruction and auditor, helping them avoid the awkward conflict of raising money from people who they regulate. The impact has been striking: In 2004, 66 percent of the money candidates for insurance commissioner raised came from the very people and industries regulated by the agency. In 2008, when both the Democratic and Republican candidates used the Voter-Owned Elections program, that figure dropped to 5 percent.
In a poll conducted by the N.C. Center for Voter Education, 70 percent of respondents said they would prefer taxpayers finance candidates' campaigns rather than the special interests whose offices they oversee.
Lawmakers are right to be concerned about the rising cost of campaigns - and the threat big money poses to our democracy. Closing the polls to voters won't help, but we know what will: keeping in place North Carolina's landmark Voter-Owned Elections program to ensure the voices of all people in our state are heard.
Chris Kromm is executive director of the Institute for Southern Studies, based in Durham. Melissa Price is director of N.C. Voters for Clean Elections, a coalition of 38 organizations.
