Iowa Voters Want Their VOICE Heard
By ICCI

Iowa CCI sets sights on Voter-Owned Iowa Clean Elections (VOICE)

This legislative session, 610 groups trying to gain influence over Iowa lawmakers have spent more than $8.5 million on special events, lobbying elected officials and backing political candidates(1). In response to this appalling influence, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (Iowa CCI) elevated the call for VOICE (Voter-Owned Iowa Clean Elections) – a system where people matter more and money matters less. State Representative Pam Jochum, who has proposed publicly financed elections yearly since 2000, will host a workshop at CCI’s annual convention to discuss how Iowans can win VOICE. The workshop will be held July 19 at the Hotel Fort Des Moines – additional convention information can be found at www.iowacci.org.

“Iowa’s politicians and elected officials are being forced to raise more money every election due to a broken system that favors wealthy donors and special interests over the issues that matter most to everyday people,” said CCI member Alice Bryan from Des Moines. “We need a system where people matter more, and money matters less.”

At the convention, Jochum will speak about how Iowans can clear the hurdles to win VOICE. This legislation would change the way campaigns are financed and allow candidates to spend more focusing on the people they represent and addressing our state’s challenges, rather than on raising money. Clean elections have been successfully implemented in Arizona, Maine, and North Carolina, where more than 200 clean elections candidates were elected to serve in legislative, judicial, and statewide offices in 2006.

The VOICE campaign hopes to achieve voluntary, publicly funded elections throughout Iowa and champions fundraising transparency and fundraising limits so contributors won’t overshadow the voice of the average voter.

1. Glover, Mike. “Groups Spend to Wine and Dine Lawmakers.” Associated Press, June 25, 2008.