Campaign Finance Board Executive Director Amy Loprest testified before the City Council’s Committee on Governmental Operations today to review the Board’s report on the 2013 elections and legislative recommendations. Her full prepared remarks are available at the CFB’s website.
Among the recommendations the Board is making, is a call to allow public funds payments to candidates earlier in the election cycle. Under current law, Amy Loprest said, “candidates may not receive the first public funds payment any earlier than five weeks before the primary election, making planning difficult for some campaigns and especially challenging for candidates who fail to qualify for public funds by the first payment date. An earlier payment date would provide campaigns with an incentive to meet the thresholds to qualify for public funds payment earlier and provide more time to address any compliance issues that may be preventing payments.”
“Our report contains very good news for New Yorkers. The 2013 election campaigns were primarily funded by small contributions from New York City residents. People living in every neighborhood in every borough of the city participated in last year’s election by making small contributions of $10, $25, or $100,” Ms. Loprest added.
“The public matching funds make those small contributions more meaningful. New Yorkers give because they have confidence their voices will be heard by the candidates, and won’t be drowned out by large contributions from special interests. There were more contributors in the 2013 elections than in any city election, ever. They came from Melrose and Mott Haven, TriBeCa and Dyker Heights, Westerleigh and the Upper East Side. Crucially, the public matching funds allowed candidates to run their campaigns without having to rely on large—possibly corrupting—contributions from special interests.”
Visit The CFB’s media page to read “By the People,” the CFB’s comprehensive 2013 post-election report.