Council to see election plan
By: Ariel Zirulnick, Senior Writer
Issue date: 4/14/08 Section: City
The Chapel Hill Town Council will get a glimpse tonight of a proposal that could dramatically change local elections beginning in 2009.
The voter-owned election program is intended to open up the local election field by funding campaigns with public money.
Council member Bill Strom, a member of the VOE program committee, will propose recommendations and ask for a May 12 public hearing.
"There will be a complete conversation about it," Strom said. "I hope the council provides feedback and agrees to bring it forward for public hearing."
Although only the council members on the committee - Strom, Sally Greene, Mark Kleinschmidt and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Ward - have had input, Kleinschmidt said he is confident that the council's reaction will be mostly favorable.
"I think it will be very positive," he said. "The support for this program has been very strong for a few years."
Kleinschmidt said that when he first ran in 2001, voter-owned elections were an important part of his platform. He had little personal money to put toward the race, contributing only about $100 of his own money.
The program is intended to make nonincumbents more competitive. Once council and mayoral hopefuls raise a minimum amount of qualifying contributions, they are eligible for supplementary public money.
"It's a lot easier for an incumbent to run a low-dollar campaign," Kleinschmidt said.
Ward, in office since 1999, came in first in the most recent election. He did not raise any outside money and loaned his campaign only $500.
In the past, candidates who relied on their personal money to fund their campaigns generally lost the race, Kleinschmidt said.
That changed in 2007 with newcomer Matt Czajkowski, who spent more than $20,000 on his campaign for Town Council. More than $17,000 of that money came from his pocket.
"Last election was the first time anybody won where they gave themselves a lot of money," Kleinschmidt said. "The community is concerned about the effect of expensive campaigns and how that might limit the accessibility of the process."
The voter-owned election program is intended to open up the local election field by funding campaigns with public money.
Council member Bill Strom, a member of the VOE program committee, will propose recommendations and ask for a May 12 public hearing.
"There will be a complete conversation about it," Strom said. "I hope the council provides feedback and agrees to bring it forward for public hearing."
Although only the council members on the committee - Strom, Sally Greene, Mark Kleinschmidt and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Ward - have had input, Kleinschmidt said he is confident that the council's reaction will be mostly favorable.
"I think it will be very positive," he said. "The support for this program has been very strong for a few years."
Kleinschmidt said that when he first ran in 2001, voter-owned elections were an important part of his platform. He had little personal money to put toward the race, contributing only about $100 of his own money.
The program is intended to make nonincumbents more competitive. Once council and mayoral hopefuls raise a minimum amount of qualifying contributions, they are eligible for supplementary public money.
"It's a lot easier for an incumbent to run a low-dollar campaign," Kleinschmidt said.
Ward, in office since 1999, came in first in the most recent election. He did not raise any outside money and loaned his campaign only $500.
In the past, candidates who relied on their personal money to fund their campaigns generally lost the race, Kleinschmidt said.
That changed in 2007 with newcomer Matt Czajkowski, who spent more than $20,000 on his campaign for Town Council. More than $17,000 of that money came from his pocket.
"Last election was the first time anybody won where they gave themselves a lot of money," Kleinschmidt said. "The community is concerned about the effect of expensive campaigns and how that might limit the accessibility of the process."
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