More Dough For Candidates, Your Public Campaign Dollars At Work

Attention candidates and political operatives, the State Elections Enforcement Commission on Wednesday announced the dollar grants for candidates qualifying under the Citizens Election Program of publicly financed races, adjusted by the Consumer Price Index. Check it out:

Pursuant to General Statutes § 9-705 (d) and (h), the State Elections Enforcement Commission has calculated the grant amounts to be awarded to General Assembly and statewide candidates for the 2014 general election. The amount of public financing grants available to candidates for Connecticut public office are periodically adjusted in accordance with changes in the Consumer Price Index, as released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since 2005, SEEC has been home to the Citizens’ Election Program (“CEP”), a groundbreaking effort to publicly finance Connecticut campaigns and restore public trust in the electoral process. Candidate participating in the CEP are prohibited from accepting contributions from state contractors, PACs or other special interests.

Grants for qualified CEP gubernatorial candidates participating in a primary will be $1,354,250. Grants for qualified CEP gubernatorial candidates in the general election will be $6,500,400.

Grants for qualified CEP candidates for Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller, Treasurer and Secretary of the State that are participating in primaries will be $406,275. Grants for such candidates in the general election will be $812,550.

Grants for qualified CEP senatorial candidates participating in a primary will be $38,990, or $83, 550, if the candidate is running in a party-dominant district. Grants for qualified CEP senatorial candidates in the general election will be $94,690.

Grants for qualified CEP state representative candidates participating in a primary will be $11,140, or $27,850, if the candidate is running in a party-dominant district. Grants for qualified CEP state representative candidates in the general election will be $27,850.

Grants for candidates who demonstrate support by petitioning to meet threshold requirements and those in parties that received less than 20% support in the previous election have been similarly adjusted for inflation.

The State Elections Enforcement Commission operates to ensure the integrity of the state’s electoral process. The Commission is responsible for ensuring independent, non-partisan enforcement of all election law in Connecticut as well as providing campaign finance advice and serving as the repository for all state-wide campaign finance reports and committee registrations.

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  1. *** Is this political increase of taxpayer throwaway pol money really warranted and in the long run does it really give the average “Joe candidate” a better financial and political chance of winning if he or she runs for a political seat? Today any pol position from Mayor up in local city, state or federal government can cost a fortune to the average “Joe citizen” and a needed “who do you know” connection that can hinder someone who may have great ideas and qualities and would make a good solid pol candidate and government leader! Instead many more financial upper-class citizen candidates who in some cases might be out of touch with average American issues, etc. seem to run and win these elections. Maybe that’s why we tend to have problems so much in getting basic things done up in Congress and the Senate. Our political leaders are becoming much more out of touch with the average American’s basic needs of today! American basic needs of food, shelter, medical/health care and education are not priorities anymore. *** TIME IS A-CHANGING AND PASSING THE AVERAGE JOE BY ***

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