Framework for Fair Elections

by

Underlying Concept:  Government Support for Candidates Who Show Backing

“Every member of Congress is guilty of fundraising on the government’s time and taxpayers’ dime.” 
“… our ‘representatives’ of the people spend as much as half their time raising money.” 
“I received a call from a sitting lawmaker, asking for a donation toward the $325,000 dollars he’s obligated to pay the NRCC every year.” – Zach Wamp, Washington Examiner

“For House [of Representatives] seats, more than 90 percent of candidates who spend the most win.” – FiveThirtyEight, 10 September 2018

“[T]he net effects of money in politics include distraction from the public business, exacerbation of polarization and gridlock, and distortion of policy making in wasteful, inefficient, and anti-democratic directions.” – Professor Benjamin Page, Northwestern University

Simply because a ‘person’ is wealthier should not permit greater power to elect our representatives. A large portion of the anti-democratic influences of wealth on elections and politics can be reduced under this Framework since people and corporations are only permitted to donate a small amount to each candidate.

Under this Framework:

  • The governmental agency managing an election (the “Election Office”) will give money to each aspirant to help them collect voter signatures only if they were successful in obtaining a qualifying number of endorsements.
  • Later, the Election Office will also give seed money for campaigning to a predetermined number of aspirants who obtain the greatest number of voter signatures.
  • During campaigning, candidates may accept only a limited amount of funds from an individual.

This multi-step process assures that an Election Office only awards funds to candidates who demonstrate their ability to be viable competitors for the sought-after position. This minimizes governmental contributions.

Amounts of Money

The amounts of money mentioned in this Framework, such as limits applied to donations and the amounts granted to candidates by Election Offices, could – and perhaps should – be based on the Median Family Income (MFI) among the electorate. This will result in a sliding scale through time and geography. For example, in a region with a depressed economy and therefore with a lower MFI, the application fee and the amounts granted to aspirants would be lower. In order to provide some context appropriate for today (in 2019), I am arbitrarily using $50,000 as the MFI for the rest of this document.

Steps to Winning an Election

The steps in brief:

  1. Verification of Eligibility:  The Election Office verifies the eligibility of each aspirant based on certification of age, citizenship, birthplace, residence, etc.
  2. Submission of the Required Number of Endorsements:  Aspirant submits the required number of endorsements  to the Election Office, testifying to the aspirant’s character and competence.
  3. Submission of Voter Signatures:   Aspirant receives a small amount of money from the Election Office for collecting voter signatures. Aspirant submits the list of voter signatures testifying their intention of voting for the aspirant. Aspirants with the most signatures  are declared to be candidates.
  4. Campaign and election:   Candidates receive campaign funds from the Election Office. Candidates may solicit limited funds from individuals. (Where primaries are involved, this step will be repeated with additional funds from the Election Office.)

  1. Verification of Eligibility

The aspirant registers for the sought-after position at the appropriate Election Office, whether it be City, County, Parish, State, Commonwealth, Federal, etc.

  1. Required of aspirant:
    1. Birth certificate or equivalent
    2. Evidence of qualifying residence location
    3. Other documentation as required for the sought-after position, e.g. medical degree
    4. Text (if any) that will be presented to potential endorsers. This text becomes public. It can be up to 10 total documents in whatever languages desired by the aspirant.
    5. A modest filing fee, perhaps 0.2% MFI ($100)
  2. Aspirant is notified of eligibility or deficiencies

  1. Submission of the Required Number of Endorsements

Endorsements are evidence of the aspirant’s connections, character, and commitment.

  1. Given to each eligible aspirant
    1. Certificate documenting the aspirant is registered to seek the sought-after position.
    2. Forms for collecting endorsement signatures
      1. Identifies the position sought
      2. Enumerates the tasks and responsibilities of the position
      3. Space for individual endorsers to affirm:
        1. I am registered to vote in the election the aspirant wishes to win.
        2. This is the only aspirant I have endorsed for this position
        3. I can vouch for the integrity and competence of the aspirant
        4. I am familiar with the aspirant’s positions and I believe the aspirant is the best choice for the position
      4. Institutional endorsers will affirm on letterhead stationery:
        1. This is the only aspirant we have endorsed for this position
        2. We vouch for the integrity and competence of the aspirant
        3. We are familiar with the aspirant’s policy positions and we believe the aspirant is the best choice for the position
      5. Endorsers provides name, address, and signature
    3. Instructions for collecting endorsement signatures
      1. No money is to be spent collecting endorsements other than incidental costs such as personal transportation and meals.
      2. No ‘campaign’ advertising expenses are allowed at this stage. No signs, posters, buttons, or paid public advertisements are permitted. However, anyone including the aspirant and any organization may use the internet, editorial pages, and other non-cost forums in exercising their rights of truthful free speech regarding the aspirant.
  2. The Election Office establishes a date deadline for submission of endorsements.
  3. The Election Office establishes the number of endorsements required.  Examples:
    1. Municipalities: perhaps one endorsement per 1,000 city residents
      1. Oakland, CA – 390 endorsers
      2. Herndon, VA – 28 endorsers
    2. Counties: perhaps one endorsement per 5,000 county residents
      1. Alameda County, CA – 333 endorsers
      2. Fairfax County, VA – 230 endorsers
    3. States: perhaps one endorsement per 10,000 state residents
      1. California – 3,954
      2. Virginia – 847
    4. Federal: perhaps one endorsement per 50,000 U.S. residents
      1. U.S.A. – 32,572
  4. The Election Office verifies there are sufficient valid endorsements.
  5. The aspirant may again submit text that will be presented to potential signers in the next phase. This text becomes public. It can be up to 10 total documents in whatever languages desired by the aspirant.
  6. The aspirant may name a substitute in the event the aspirant suffers death prior to the date of swearing in the winner.

  1. Submission of Voter Signatures

The quantity of voter signatures collected is evidence of the aspirant’s commitment, the aspirant’s ability to work with others, the aspirant’s organizational abilities, and the resonance of the aspirant’s platform.

  1. On a scheduled date, all aspirants who have successfully submitted endorsements are given
    1. Forms for collecting voter signatures
      1. Identifies the position sought
      2. Enumerates the tasks and responsibilities of the position
      3. Space for the signer to affirm:
        1. I am registered to vote in the election the aspirant wishes to win.
        2. I intend to vote for the aspirant.
        3. This is the only aspirant for this position for which I have given my signature.
      4. Signer provides name, address, and signature
    2. Funds given to aspirant by the Election Office for collecting voter signatures: perhaps ½ cent (MFI/10,000,000) per resident in the involved region. Examples:
      1. Oakland, CA – $1,954
      2. Alameda County, CA – $8,316
      3. California – $197,683
      4. Herndon, VA – $116
      5. Fairfax County, CA – $5,742
      6. Virginia – $42,350
      7. U.S.A. – $1,628,596
    3. Instructions for this phase of the electoral process
      1. No money is to be used beyond the funds provided by the Election Office.
      2. Aspirant is not allowed to accept monetary or in-kind donations, other than volunteer labor.
      3. All expenses must be accounted for. There will be an audit. Any funds left over will be returned.
  2. No ‘campaign advertising’ is allowed other than to give information sheets and live presentations to groups and individuals who are being asked to sign. Personal appearances, however, can be advertised, but in only in the most factual manner. For example: “Jane Doe, running for the office of the Mayor of Herndon, will speak at the Lions Club Hall, 1249 Elm Street, on Thursday evening at 7PM March 16th.” Other posters, signs, public advertisements, mailers, etc. are not permitted.  However, anyone including the aspirant and any organization may use the internet, editorial pages, and other non-cost forums in exercising their rights of truthful free speech regarding the aspirant. 
  3. The Election Office establishes a date deadline for submission of voter signatures.
  4. The governmental determines the number of valid voter signatures for each aspirant.
  5. On a scheduled date, the six (or other number of) aspirants who submitted the greatest number of valid voter signatures are declared to be candidates for the position. 

  1. Campaign and Election
  1. Campaign funding:
    1. The respective Election Office will provide funds to each candidate to campaign for the position; perhaps 20 cents (MFI/250,000) per resident in the involved region. Examples:
      1. Oakland, CA – $78,140
      2. Alameda County, CA – $302,060
      3. California – $7,907,340 
      4. Herndon, VA – $4,660
      5. Fairfax County, VA – $229,680
      6. Virginia – $1,694,000
      7. U.S.A. – $61,750,000
  2. Instructions for campaigning:
    1. Total donations to a candidate’s campaign from a single person are limited to perhaps 0.2% MFI ($100). E.g., a family of four may donate a maximum of $400 to a candidate’s campaign; a corporation may donate a maximum of $100.
    2. Organizations may solicit funds for candidates with the following restrictions:
      1. The organization will prevent each donor from contributing through their auspices in excess of $100 (0.2% MFI) to a single candidate.
      2. The organization will require that each donor affirm under penalty of law that the contribution is in compliance with their $100 (0.2% MFI) per person per candidate limit.
      3. The organization will submit all financial data (in a TBD digital format), including identities of individual donors, to the appropriate Election Offices within 5 business days following close of polls.
    3. The candidate may not contribute personal wealth toward campaigning: not for meals, transportation, advertising, rentals, gifts, etc.
    4. Common and necessary restrictions for campaigns and campaign financing apply as per existing ordinances and laws.
    5. A candidate will be disqualified for any infraction of campaign processes or finances.
  3. Election results:
    1. Candidates must submit a full description of campaign processes and financials (in a TBD data format) to the Election Office within 5 business days following close of polls.
    2. Certification of election results will be given only after a complete audit of campaign processes and finances.
      1. Discovery of contributors who made contributions in excess of legal limits will be cited and fined. Fines will be in proportion to the excess and will be paid to the appropriate Election Office to help finance future elections.
      2. Discovery that an organization allowed excess contributions, knowingly or not,  will be cited and fined. Fines will be in proportion to the excess and will be paid to the appropriate Election Office to help finance future elections.
      3. Excess contributions will disqualify a candidate if they or their campaign organization was in any way complicit.
    3. Certification or rejection of election results will be given no later than 10 business days following close of polls except in extenuating circumstances.