Clean Elections programs expanded in this week’s election as voters in six states showed their approval of the system that gives citizens greater authority of their government. At least 376 Clean Elections officials were elected on Tuesday, and that number could grow as more election results are determined. See the full release here.

Arizona

It’s down to the wire and candidates on both sides of the political aisle are trading barbs on corruption and campaign contributions.

Support for Clean Elections, or full public financing of elections, has broad support across political parties and other demographics. On Saturday, Tim Urban had an op-ed published in the Des Moines Business Record showing support is also strong among those investing financially in the political process--campaign donors.

The New York Times this morning is running a strong and positive story about Connecticut’s Clean Elections program, spelling out its ability to level the playing field among candidates and reduce their need to constantly ask for money.The state this year became the third, after Maine and Arizona, to implement full public financing of statewide elections.

In the article “Connecticut Hopefuls Flock to Public Financing,” Peter Applebome reports:

The news of Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) $150 million haul in September with an average donation under $100 combined with Obama's decision to opt out of the partial presidential public financing system gave political prognosticators and pundits the opportunity to declare the death of public financing. They signed the certificate and called the morgue.

Wow. We've been talking about this for months and knew that participation in Connecticut's first round of Clean Elections would be high, but seeing final numbers come out doesn't make it any less impressive.

I'm sorry to report that Alaska's Clean Elections ballot initiative did not pass yesterday -- in fact, on the primary ballot where both Sen. Ted Stevens (R) and Rep. Don Young (R) faced primary challenges none of the ballot initiatives got much love. But as they say, Rome wasn't built in a day. This is only the beginning of Alaska's fight for Clean Elections.

As Sen. Ted Stevens' (R-AK) trial date approaches the details of the case against him are slowly coming to light. He is alleged to have accepted gifts and services from VECO Corp. (like the expensive remodel of his home) in exchange for doing official favors for the company, then concealed the extent of those gifts. Stevens is set to stand trial in late September.

A week from Tuesday voters in Alaska get a chance to vote on whether they want Clean Elections in their state. Appearing on the ballot as Measure 3, the Clean Elections Initiative would provide a full public financing option for candidates running for state office.

Will the indictment of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) and the imprisonment of several Alaska state legislators in connection with Veco Corporation bribery scandal boost the number of voters who support the Clean Elections initiative on the ballot in Alaska this month? The author of this letter to the editor of the Fairbanks News-Miner thinks a full public financing program for state elections would help put these scandals in the past.

From Kaarle Strailey: