The Winston-Salem Journal is encouraged by the prospects for the expanded public financing program for North Carolina elections, which covers candidates for the Appellate and Supreme Courts and now candidates for three of the Council of State positions (the Governor's cabinet). Six of the eleven candidates for these three positions this year intend to run with public financing.

North Carolina was the first state to pass a law offering an option for state judicial candidates to seek office using a full public financing system. Participation in the program has been high and public response has been sufficient to advance campaigns to offer a full public financing option for other races in the state. But a group is challenging North Carolina's law with the dubious "free speech" argument which a group of judges says misses the entire point of the program.

North Carolina faces an unusual problem with its ten Council of State positions. In addition to having a very high number of these regulatory positions chosen by election, low levels of voter interest in their elections means that campaign support comes largely from industries and interests that serve to benefit directly from Council of State decisions. A pilot project of full public financing will be tried out next year for three of the positions, but will it be a big enough test?

Woo-Hoo! The North Carolina Senate followed in the House's footsteps and approved the Voter-Owned Elections public financing pilot program for three Council of State races, state auditor, insurance commissioner and superintendent of public instruction. Next the bill will go to the Governor and we're optimistic he will sign it. Read more from the Charlotte Observer!

Thanks to everyone who made calls to their legislators in support of North Carolina's public financing pilot program for Council of State races. This weekend, the state House passed the program on a vote of 59-57. From here the bill goes to the Senate. The pilot program covers the races for state auditor, superintendent of public instruction and insurance commissioner.