§ 163-278.95. Purpose and establishment of Voter-Owned Elections Act. - North Carolina Statutes

Article 22J.

The Voter‑OwnedElections Act.

§ 163‑278.95.  Purposeand establishment of Voter‑Owned Elections Act.

The purpose of this Article isto ensure the vitality and fairness of democratic elections in North Carolinato the end that any eligible citizen of this State can realistically choose toseek and run for public office. It is also the purpose of this Article toprotect the constitutional rights of voters and candidates from the detrimentaleffects of increasingly large amounts of money being raised and spent in NorthCarolina to influence the outcome of elections. It is essential to the publicinterest that the potential for corruption or the appearance of corruption isminimized and that the equal and meaningful participation of all citizens inthe democratic process is ensured. Accordingly, this Article establishes theNorth Carolina Voter‑Owned Elections Fund as an alternative source ofcampaign financing for candidates who obtain a sufficient number of qualifyingcontributions from registered voters and who voluntarily accept strict fund‑raisingand spending limits. This Article is available to candidates for the Council ofState offices of Auditor, Superintendent of Public Instruction, andCommissioner of Insurance in elections to be held in 2008 and thereafter. (2007‑484, s. 43.8(c);2007‑540, s. 1.)