SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California Clean Money Action Fund,
California Common Cause, and the League of Women Voters of
California launched the campaign for the California Fair
Elections Act appearing on voters' November 2026 ballot. If
passed, the act would remove a ban on public financing for
elections and put power back in the hands of voters -- not
wealthy special interests.
The three organizations will chair the new ballot measure
committee, Californians for Fair Elections.
The California Fair Elections Act would allow cities,
counties, districts, and the state to establish public
campaign financing systems that amplify small-dollar donors
and strengthen accountability while requiring strict
safeguards, spending limits, and protections for taxpayer
funds. It does not mandate public financing anywhere; it
simply allows local communities to decide whether they want
to adopt it.
Since 2020, over $1 billion has been spent on California
state candidate campaigns alone, according to records in
the Secretary of State's Power Search. Similarly, large
sums are spent on local campaigns. This fuels a political
system where large donors and corporate interests hold
outsized influence in elections, pricing out everyday
people from being able to run for office.
Polling by California Clean Money Campaign shows 81% of
California voters believe big money contributors have too
much influence over elected officials.
Five California charter cities -- Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and Long Beach -- already use
public financing systems that help everyday people compete
with big money-backed candidates and expand who can run for
office. But public financing programs are banned everywhere
in California except charter cities.
The California Fair Elections Act will give voters the
chance to change that and give every community the same
opportunity. It will also establish basic requirements that
public financing systems and publicly financed candidates
must follow to protect taxpayers and maximize the benefit
to voters. It requires candidates to abide by expenditure
limits and meet strict criteria to qualify for public
funds. It also bans the use of public funds to pay legal
defense fees or fines.
The California Fair Elections Act was placed on the ballot
after Governor Newsom signed SB 42, authored by
Senators Tom Umberg, Ben Allen, Sabrina
Cervantes, and Assemblymember Alex Lee. SB 42
was sponsored by California Clean Money Campaign,
California Common Cause, and the League of Women Voters of
California, and was backed by a broad state, local, and
national coalition including ACLU, AFSCME, Asian Law
Caucus, California Environmental Voters, California Nurses
Association, California Labor Federation, Courage
California, Dolores Huerta Foundation, Indivisible CA:
Statestrong, La Defensa, and many others.
Statements from Campaign Leaders and Supporters:
"The California Fair Elections Act is about restoring
trust, strengthening accountability, and making sure
everyday Californians have a real say in who represents
them," said Trent Lange, California Clean Money
Action Fund's Executive Director. "This measure puts
power back where it belongs: with voters."
"Democracy works best when everyone has a voice in our
state's future, not just the wealthy and
well-connected," said Darius Kemp, Common Cause's
California Executive Director. "The California Fair
Elections Act is a pro-voter reform that opens the door for
teachers, nurses, small business owners, and community
leaders to run competitive campaigns and win. This is how
we build a democracy that reflects all of
California."
"For years, the League of Women Voters of California has
fought to put voters -- not big donors -- at the center of
our democracy," said Jenny Farrell, League of Women
Voters of California's Executive Director. "The
California Fair Elections Act gives voters the chance to
move toward elections where candidates listen to voters
instead of chasing money. It will open the door for more
women, people of color, and working-class Californians to
run and win -- and strengthen the foundation of our
democracy."
"The California Fair Elections Act puts power back in
the hands of the people. By giving Californians the chance
to repeal the ban on public campaign financing, we're
ensuring that voters, not politicians or special interests,
decide how elections can be financed in our state,"
said Senator Tom Umberg, author of SB 42. "This
is about empowering everyday voters and opening the door
for more diverse voices in public office."
"Our democracy should not be for sale. Big Money is
drowning out the voices of everyday voters," said
Assemblymember Alex Lee, joint author of SB 42.
"Public financing is the reform we need to bring power
back to the people and level the playing field for
grassroots candidates to run for office. It will help
rebuild voters' faith in democracy and show that Big Money
can't buy our elections."
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