United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2003-05-09 monographic deposited born digital 152 p. GA 1.13:GAO-03-453 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-453 P0b002ee1803995fb f:d03453 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-453 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-453 GAO-03-453 Election campaign financing Political candidates Data collection Statistical data Maine Arizona Other Written Product A06858 In 2000 and 2002, Maine and Arizona held the nation's first elections under voluntary programs that offered full state funding for political candidates who ran for legislative and certain statewide offices. The goals of these programs, passed as ballot initiatives by citizens in these states, included increasing electoral competition and curbing increases in the cost of campaigns. Congress has considered legislation for public financing of congressional elections nearly every session since 1956, although no law has been enacted. In the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (P.L. 107-155 (2002)), Congress mandated that GAO study the results of the unique public financing programs in Maine and Arizona. For the 2000 and 2002 elections in Maine and Arizona, this report provides: (1) statistics on the number of candidates who chose to campaign with public funds and the number who were elected; and (2) observations, based on limited data, regarding the extent to which the goals of the public funding programs were met. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-453/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-453.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-453/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-453.pdf GAO-03-453 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-03-453 Other Written Product GAO-03-453; Campaign Finance Reform: Early Experiences of Two States That Offer Full Public Funding for Political Candidates; Election campaign financing Political candidates Data collection Statistical data Maine Arizona Public Law 107-155