The Portland City Council is seeking public feedback on creating a new clean elections program that was approved by voters in November.
The council will hold a public workshop on clean elections on March 13, the city said in a statement Thursday.
A second workshop is scheduled for March 27, with a vote on the council’s proposal expected in April.
The establishment of a clean elections program is one of six changes to the city charter recently approved by voters, all of which will take effect July 1.
The question requires the council to establish and fully fund a city Clean Election Fund as well as an ordinance addressing the operations of the fund.
The city has estimated the clean elections program will cost $290,000 per year, although the final cost will ultimately depend on the structure of the program adopted by the council and the number of eligible candidates in any given election cycle.
The final report from the Charter Commission, which was responsible for putting the clean elections question before voters, noted that clean elections programs can take many forms, including a block grant program, such as the state has, in which qualifying candidates are given an allotted amount to spend on their campaigns; a small donor-matching program, wherein grassroots or small donations below a certain threshold are matched; and “democracy vouchers,” wherein voters are given vouchers to spend on their desired candidate.
“There are a few different routes Portland could explore, and I think it’s really about city resources and finding a balancing act with what is most replicable,” said Catherine Buxton, who served on the Charter Commission and worked on the clean elections question.
“I’m appreciative of the council, among its other priorities, making sure this is taken care of quickly and efficiently,” Buxton said. “I’m excited to see it on the agenda and open for public comment.”
Members of the public may also submit written comments to publiccomment@portlandmaine.gov by 5 p.m. on March 10 if they are unable to attend the workshop.
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