Local Campaign Finance Reform

When the New Politics Program was first established in 1997, its first undertaking was to study the existence of local campaign finance reform efforts throughout the country. Made possible by a grant from the Ford Foundation, this project was a direct outcome of then NCL Chair, Honorable Bill Bradley’s desire to consolidate our organization’s historical focus on recognizing and promoting political reform efforts at the local level. A study of local campaign finance reform was seen as a prime vehicle for fulfilling this goal.

Our study found some interesting results. While reform efforts continued to languish in the U.S. Congress, community leaders from Tucson, Arizona, and Ft. Collins, Colorado to New York City, and Miami, Dade County, Florida were found adopting and refining local reforms. Based on this study, NPP has published two reports containing a menu of model campaign finance reforms options and case studies.

Local Campaign Finance Reform: Case Studies, Innovative and Model Legislation

Local Campaign Finance Reform: Case Studies, Innovative and Model Legislation First Edition Order a copy View an online summary Addendum: Additional Case Studies Order a copy View online (pdf)

National Survey of Local Campaign Finance Reform

Inventory of Local Reforms

Community Conversations on Political Reform

In 1999, the National Civic League was provided with a grant from the Open Society Institute to launch "Community Conversations on Political Reform." Under this project, the New Politics Program has chosen six communities to work with directly to help catalyze the discussion for campaign finance reform.

Conversations on Political Reform Updates

Making The Link: Civil Rights and Campaign Finance Reform

Money, Politics and Campaign Finance Reform Law in the States

Carolina Academic Press has recently released “Money, Politics, and Campaign Finance Reform Law in the States.” (available at www.cap-press.com) Edited by David Schultz, a professor in the Graduate School of Public Administration and Management at Hamline University, the book presents an exciting examination of campaign finance reform and the role of money in state politics through the 2000 elections. Written by leading scholars on state politics and campaign finance reform, this book is the first to provide in-depth case studies that describe the reality of the impact money has on state politics; what efforts have been undertaken to regulate this money; and how successful the law has been in ensuring fair elections. The book also contains a chapter written by former NPP director, Carl Castillo, describing case studies of some of the most innovative local campaign finance reform efforts around the nation. Americans are deeply concerned about the role and impact of money upon politics and government. While numerous publications have documented Congressional efforts to enact campaign finance reform, Schultz et al. put the spotlight on state efforts to address the impact of money on politics.

Money, Politics, and Campaign Finance Reform Law in the States offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of money and campaign finance reform at the state level on the market. Its findings will be invaluable to scholars, lawyers, legislators, and activists involved with campaign finance reform.