When you go door to door meeting voters, you have to answer lots of questions. One voter recently asked who was underwriting my campaign. I was happy to answer that my campaign is supported by voters themselves through the Maine Clean Election Fund. 

When I decided to run for the Maine House of Representatives, I wanted to be a clean election candidate. In 1996, Maine voters passed the Maine Clean Election Act to establish a voluntary program that provided full public financing for the campaigns of candidates running for the Maine legislature or for governor. My first exposure to Maine’s clean election system came years ago when Bill Bailey asked me for a $5 contribution so he could qualify as a clean election candidate.

To be a clean election candidate, you have to show community support by collecting at least sixty $5 contributions for the Maine Clean Election Fund. Thanks to voters in House District 89 (Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay, Southport, Edgecomb, Westport Island, South Bristol), I qualified as a clean election candidate in April. Under the law, I can’t accept private contributions or PAC money. Plus, anyone can go online to see who has contributed to the clean election fund on my behalf. 

As a candidate committed to transparency, I’m proud to be supported by the small dollar donations of 138 voters to the Maine Clean Election Fund. It’s a refreshing change from politics as usual.

Wendy Wolf

Boothbay Harbor