Some statewide candidates could qualify for publicly financed campaigns under proposed legislation.
A Senate bill would help fund all Council of State races except governor and lieutenant governor. A House bill is more of a pilot, funding races for state auditor, insurance commissioner and superintendent of public instruction.
Here's how it works:
Candidates would have to refuse contributions from big-money donors and political action committees. If they could show public support — between $25,000 and $200,000 in small donations and a primary win — they would qualify for several hundred thousand dollars for the general election.
The bills differ on how much money, how to pay for it and when it would start.
The House uses the average of the last three winners' war chests and pays for it with the general fund, starting in 2008. The Senate calls for the median of both candidates' campaigns in the past two races and uses various agency fees to pay for it, starting in 2012.
Chris Heagarty, executive director of the N.C. Center for Voter Education, said that the pilot program faced less resistance from current elected officials.
Co-sponsors of the two bills include Orange Sen. Eleanor Kinnaird, Wake Sen. Janet Cowell, Chatham Sen. Bob Atwater, Durham Rep. Paul Luebke and Wake Reps. Deborah Ross, Grier Martin and Linda Coleman.
