Many voters may be surprised to read the Sixth Amendment on their ballot. The title is “Eliminating Campaign Finance Requirements.” Taxpayers have footed the bill for millions of dollars in political campaign spending since voters approved the 1998 amendment. Two years ago, gubernatorial and cabinet candidates raised enough money to receive $13,015,149 in matching funds. “Is there any point in just having an abundance of money, and is it really having any effect?” asked Aubrey Jewett, a political professor at the University of Central Florida. He said if voters believe that public funding of campaigns levels the playing field, allowing more people to compete against better-funded candidates, then Florida elections He said he should vote against Amendment 6 to maintain the current programs run by the department. Looking at recent elections that used public funds, in 2022, Republican Ron DeSantis received $7.3 million, Democrat Charlie Crist received $3.9 million, and Nikki Fried, whom Crist lost in the primary, received $7.3 million. received $944,850. We raised unlimited money and raised tens of millions more. The same was true of Republican Ashley Moody’s campaign for attorney general and the race for chief financial officer won by Republican Jimmy Patronis. Mr. Moody received $291,333 in matching funds, Democrat Daniel Uhlfelder received about $177,585, and Mr. Moody also raised $2 million himself. Patronis also raised more than $1 million, but received nearly $221,915 in public funds, far more than the $189,288 in matching funds received by Adam Hattersley. Why should your tax dollars go to politicians who are willing to use your money to run offensive ads that you may or may not agree with? And they should fund their own campaigns,” Jewett said. The League of Women Voters has printed a guide explaining all six amendments. The federation believes that public funding should be maintained and recommends no vote on Amendment 6.
Florida —
Many voters may be surprised to read the Sixth Amendment on their ballot. The title is “Eliminating Campaign Finance Requirements.”
Taxpayers have footed the bill for millions of dollars in political campaign spending since voters approved the 1998 amendment.
Two years ago, candidates for governor and cabinet raised enough money to receive $13,015,149 in matching funds.
Aubrey Jewett, a politics professor at the University of Central Florida, questioned, “There’s just a lot of money out there, but does it make sense and does it really work?”
He said if voters believe that public funding of campaigns levels the playing field, allowing more people to compete against better-funded candidates, then Florida elections He said he should vote against Amendment 6 to maintain the current programs run by the department.
Looking at the most recent elections in which public funds were invested, Republican Ron DeSantis received $7.3 million in 2022, Democrat Charlie Crist received $3.9 million, and Nikki Crist, whom Crist lost in the primary, received $7.3 million in 2022. Mr. Fried received $944,850.
But their political committees, which can raise unlimited funds, raised tens of millions more.
The same was true of Republican Ashley Moody’s campaign for attorney general and the race for chief financial officer won by Republican Jimmy Patronis.
Mr. Moody received $291,333 in matching funds, Democrat Daniel Uhlfelder received about $177,585, and Mr. Moody also raised $2 million himself.
Patronis also raised more than $1 million, but received nearly $221,915 in public funds, far more than the $189,288 in matching funds Adam Hattersley received.
“Some of the harshest critics say it’s just welfare for politicians. To politicians who are willing to use your money to run offensive ads that you may or may not agree with. , why should tax dollars be used? And they should be funding their own campaigns,” Jewett said.
The League of Women Voters has printed a guide explaining all six amendments. The federation believes that public funding should be maintained and recommends no vote on Amendment 6.
