1199SEIU members joined a broad group of organizations at an Albany press conference on April 18 to kick off a new campaign for public financing of elections and other campaign finance reforms. The news conference was held in front of the NYS Senate chamber.

Called Fair Elections New York, the coalition is powered by national reform groups, labor unions, and progressive and faith-based organizations, which will be holding rallies, town hall meetings and media events to press legislators and the Governor to reform current campaign finance practices.

Fair Elections would mean that instead of candidates raising large contributions from wealthy donors, a voluntary system of public financing would allow candidates to run for office by collecting many small donations and receiving public funds to run their campaign. This would put elections back in the hands of voters, and has been proven to increase small donor participation in campaigns.

Representing 1199SEIU, Antonella Pechtel said, “Uniting us all is a commitment to the idea that all workers deserve a voice and that in a democracy, the 1% should not determine political power. The current system of elections in New York, with sky-high donation limits and lack of public matching funds, undermines the principles of democracy.”

Public financing has the capacity to empower average voters to have a voice in the political process and enables candidates to run competitive campaigns while relying on a base of small donors in the districts they represent, rather than on a small number of wealthy contributors. The essential elements of campaign finance reform include reasonable contribution limits without loopholes; “pay to play” rules for companies and individuals doing business with the state; and a strong independent enforcement of campaign finance laws.

Karen Scharff, Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York State, said, “This unprecedented coordinated campaign to win Fair Elections campaign finance reform is about shifting the priorities of our government back to the best interests of the people. The pieces are in place to change the driving force in elections away from CEO campaign contributions and back to New Yorkers. We can’t wait any longer.”