Gov. Mills: Your Signature Needed for Clean Elections

Maine is so close to expanding Clean Elections to races for District Attorney. The bill LD 1966 was just voted to be enacted in the Senate and now heads to the Governor. Let's work together and ask Governor Mills to sign the bill so that it officially becomes law! Your message can be short and sweet: simply ask her to sign LD 1966 into law. 

Click here to get started: Ask Governor Mills to sign LD 1966 so that we can expand Clean Elections!

We know that Clean Elections encourages more people to run for office and allows them to serve without being beholden to big donors or special interests — only to the voters in their district. Mainers need to be able to trust that district attorneys can carry out their duties impartially. Like judges, these officials must operate “without fear or favor."

LD 1966 expands Clean Elections to District Attorney races. Sponsored by Rep Ben Collings and co-sponsored by Rep Morgan Reilly, this bill has passed out of committee with bipartisan support. It would be the first expansion in Clean Elections since 1996 and makes Maine the first state to provide public funding for candidates in these key law enforcement positions.  

Ask Governor Mills to sign LD 1966!

Historically, the majority of District Attorney campaigns are either self-funded (which is an issue of equity and opportunity) or funded by lawyers who expect to have cases within that district. Between 2014 and 2022, total spending has more than doubled in races for sheriff, district attorney, and county commissioner. The 2022 Cumberland County District Attorney contest cost more than $76,000 and was a target for spending by out-of-state interests.

With judicial and local elections around the country becoming increasingly partisan and high-spending, Maine should take this chance to get ahead of the trend and insulate our justice system from potential corruption or the perception of corruption.