A lot of voters may be surprised to read Amendment 6 on their ballots. It’s titled, “Repeal of Public Campaign Finance Requirement.” Since voters approved a 1998 Amendment, taxpayers have been footing the bill for millions of dollars in political campaign spending. Two years ago, the governor and cabinet race candidates raised enough money to get $13,015,149 in matching funds.“It’s just awash in money, and does it make sense, and does it really work,” questioned University of Central Florida political professor Aubrey Jewett. He said if voters believe public financing of campaigns evens the playing field to help more people compete with better-funded candidates, they should vote no on Amendment 6 to keep the current program run by the Florida Division of Elections in place. Looking at the most recent election to use public funds, in 2022, Republican Ron DeSantis received $7.3 million, Democrat Charlie Crist received $3.9 million, and Nikki Fried, whom Crist defeated in the primary, received $944,850.But their political committees, which can raise money without limits, raised tens of millions more. The same was true of Republican Ashley Moody’s campaign for Attorney General and the Chief Financial Officer race won by Republican Jimmy Patronis. Moody received $291,333 in matching funds, Democrat Daniel Uhlfelder received about $177,585, and Moody also raised $2 million on her own. Patronis had also raised more than a million dollars but received nearly $221,915 in public money, which far outweighed the matching funds received by Adam Hattersley, $189,288.“Some of the harshest critics just say it’s welfare for politicians. Why should tax dollars be going to these politicians who are just going to use your money to run nasty ads that you may or may not disagree with? And they should fund their own campaigns,” Jewett said. The League of Women Voters prints a guide explaining all six amendments. The League recommends a no vote on amendment 6, believing public financing should remain.
A lot of voters may be surprised to read Amendment 6 on their ballots. It’s titled, “Repeal of Public Campaign Finance Requirement.”
Since voters approved a 1998 Amendment, taxpayers have been footing the bill for millions of dollars in political campaign spending.
Two years ago, the governor and cabinet race candidates raised enough money to get $13,015,149 in matching funds.
“It’s just awash in money, and does it make sense, and does it really work,” questioned University of Central Florida political professor Aubrey Jewett.
He said if voters believe public financing of campaigns evens the playing field to help more people compete with better-funded candidates, they should vote no on Amendment 6 to keep the current program run by the Florida Division of Elections in place.
Looking at the most recent election to use public funds, in 2022, Republican Ron DeSantis received $7.3 million, Democrat Charlie Crist received $3.9 million, and Nikki Fried, whom Crist defeated in the primary, received $944,850.
But their political committees, which can raise money without limits, raised tens of millions more.
The same was true of Republican Ashley Moody’s campaign for Attorney General and the Chief Financial Officer race won by Republican Jimmy Patronis.
Moody received $291,333 in matching funds, Democrat Daniel Uhlfelder received about $177,585, and Moody also raised $2 million on her own.
Patronis had also raised more than a million dollars but received nearly $221,915 in public money, which far outweighed the matching funds received by Adam Hattersley, $189,288.
“Some of the harshest critics just say it’s welfare for politicians. Why should tax dollars be going to these politicians who are just going to use your money to run nasty ads that you may or may not disagree with? And they should fund their own campaigns,” Jewett said.
The League of Women Voters prints a guide explaining all six amendments. The League recommends a no vote on amendment 6, believing public financing should remain.
