State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Md. delegates weigh matching funds for candidates on a county-by-county basis

The Washington Post: Legislation to allow taxpayer-funded campaign financing for state legislative candidates has come before the Maryland General Assembly for over a decade, though no bill has ever made it beyond the senate floor.

Now a proposal that would pivot away from a statewide policy in favor of a county-by-county option is garnering favor among delegates eager to expand the public financing of elections at all levels of state government.

Such a localized approach could face legal and political roadblocks, and a specific bill has yet to be drafted. But supporters say a program could also help mitigate the influence of large donors in state politics and help propel Maryland toward statewide public financing for legislative races.

Read article