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TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) — Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. connected Monday announced plans to present authorities creating a nationalist financing strategy for candidates seeking elected office, starting with the 2026 predetermination cycle.
In 2019, Olszewski projected a charter amendment to make nationalist financing for candidates arsenic portion of a bundle of ethical reforms.
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The Baltimore County Council approved the measure, placing a question connected the 2020 ballot. Voters approved Question A by a 57%-43% margin.
“We cognize that fair, competitory elections are bully for democracy, they marque our communities stronger,” Olszewski said during a property briefing Monday. “But for acold excessively galore people, the outgo of moving for bureau has been acold excessively precocious and has been a obstruction overmuch excessively large.”
In March 2021, Olszewski created a enactment radical to survey akin run financing systems astir the state and supply recommendations for establishing 1 successful the county.
Under the legislation, candidates for assembly and enforcement could lone lend $12,000 to their ain campaigns oregon person that magnitude from contiguous household members and spouses.
Individual contributions would beryllium capped astatine $250 and would person to travel from Baltimore County residents to conscionable the threshold to person matching nationalist funds.
The money matches contributions successful tiers to incentivize tiny grassroots donations. As the dollar magnitude of a donation goes up, the matching magnitude goes down, Olszewski said.
Candidates for assembly person to cod $10,000 successful contributions from astatine slightest 125 donors to person matching funds, which are constricted to $80,000 per election.
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Candidates for region enforcement person to fundraise $40,000 from astatine slightest 400 donors, and they are constricted to $750,000 per election.
Matching funds for some offices are phased retired aft the archetypal $150 successful each contribution, Olszewski said.
The measure besides creates a Fair Election Fund Commission, comprised of 9 residents, to marque definite the nationalist run money is solvent earlier each predetermination cycle.
Seven residents volition beryllium nominated by the assembly — 1 from each councilmanic territory — and 2 would beryllium appointed by the region executive. Members would service four-year presumption starting May 1 of each twelvemonth pursuing a midterm election.
Olszewski’s authorities volition beryllium introduced astatine the Monday night’s assembly meeting.
Councilman David Marks, a Republican, said nationalist backing would supply a level for smaller parties and underfunded candidates, pointing to Gov. Larry Hogan’s longshot triumph successful 2014 that utilized nationalist financing.
Councilman Julian E. Jones Jr., president of the enactment group, said the programme volition springiness residents much choices and assistance candidates get their connection to the voters.
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“This money volition supply the resources truthful that the citizens volition beryllium capable to adequately perceive the positions of the candidates, and past marque the due decision, which volition alteration america to person the champion elected officials we tin present successful Baltimore County, providing the champion work to the citizens,” helium said.
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