Would
you rather have North Carolina judges raising campaign money
from the attorneys and business interests who appear in
their courts - or from a public fund they can tap if they
agree to strict spending limits?
Which
way promotes fairness in our courts and gives all qualified
candidates a chance, even if they are not personally wealthy?
North
Carolina now has the nation's first "Clean Elections" public
financing program for statewide judicial candidates. It's
a major breakthrough for "voter-owned elections" in N.C.
- but it won't work without public participation!
Candidates
for the N.C. Supreme Court and Court of Appeals can receive
substantial aid from a new Public Campaign Fund in exchange
for accepting strict spending and fundraising limits. Twelve
of the 16 candidates used the program in 2004, including
four of the five winners. In 2006, eight out of the 12 candidates
used the program, and five out of the six eventual winners
used public financing.
The
Fund also pays for a Voter Guide with information about
the courts and candidates. Four million copies were mailed
to homes in 2004 and 2006.
A
distinguished bipartisan panel, headed by Campbell University
Law School's Dean Willis Whichard, oversees the program
with the State Board of Elections.
But
the program won't work unless hundreds of thousands of taxpayers
show support by choosing "Yes" on a check-off box that is
on the N.C. income-tax form.
The
check-off doesn't change a person's tax bill ; it just transfers
$3 to the new Public Campaign Fund for each person who says
"Yes."
Look
hard and find the question about the check-off on your tax
return . TELL YOUR TAX CONSULTANT TO CHECK “YES” – they
may not ask you the question!
For
more information, call 1-888-OUR-VOTE or go to www.ncjudges.org
.
USEFUL
MATERIALS
Click
here for a one-page flyer about the check-off, prepared
by the North Carolina Voters for Clean Elections coalition.
(PDF format)
Click here for a Q&A on
the check-off and Public Campaign Fund , distributed by
the State Board of Elections. (PDF format)
Click here for talking points
for a Letter to the Editor .
Click here for copy that
can be used in a newsletter or email action alert .
Click here for the language in
the check-off box that is on the tax form. (PDF format)
Click here to view a small
" buck slip " that gives the key information about the check-off.
(PDF format) You can order hundreds of these slips
from Democracy North Carolina to give to co-workers, pass
out at meetings, leave at libraries, etc.
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