ission m m o C s n io t c le E n a Citizens Cle Bulletin Volume 1, Quarter 2 April 2004 Inside this issue: Message from the 2004 Chair 1 The Act & the Commission 2 Commission News 2 What’s New on the Website 2 Candidate Statement Pamphlets 3 Cover Design Contest 3 New Publications 4 Commission Workshops 4 Recent Press Releases 5 Important Dates 6 Topic of the Quarter 6 Commission Meeting Schedule 7 Message from the 2004 Chair Welcome to the second quarter Citizens Clean Elections Commission Bulletin. With the onset of my term as Chairman of the Commission, I look forward to the challenges that a new election year will bring. With over one-third of all candidates currently signed up to run as participating candidates in 2004, we have a lot of hard work ahead of us. Currently, participating candidates are out collecting their $5 qualifying contributions. We have undertaken an educational campaign to make registered voters aware of what the purpose of the $5 qualifying contributions is—and the opportunity it provides citizens to have their voice heard in state government. Soon we will begin funding candidates for the primary election period and accepting statements and photographs for the 2004 primary election candidate statement pamphlets. We have also secured 13 sponsors for 2004 primary and general election period debates. Recently, the structure of the Commission changed with the induction of a new Commissioner. As the new Commission continues to administer the Act, we look to the future for variables that will help us to improve a system that provides for a level playing field. And opportunity for all potential leaders. Sincerely, David G. McKay, 2004 Chair This Bulletin is intended to be an informational tool used to update parties regarding the Commissions’ projects and developments. If you have further questions, feel free to call the Commission directly and speak with any staff member at 1-602-364-3477 or toll free at 1-877-631-8891. As a state agency, we are here to serve you. State of Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission Contact Information: 1616 W. Adams, Suite 110 Phoenix, AZ 85007 (602) 364-3477 (602) 364-3487, fax 1-877-631-8891, toll free Page 2 The Citizens Clean Elections Commission Bulletin April 2004 The Act and the Commission The Citizens Clean Elections Act (Act) is a campaign finance reform measure that was initiated by Arizona citizens and passed by voters in 1998. The Act creates a new campaign financing system that provides full public funding to qualified candidates who agree to abide by the Act and Commission rules. The 2003-2004 election cycle will be the third election season in which candidates may run a political campaign under the Act. Governed by the laws of the State of Arizona, the Citizens Clean Elections Commission (Commission) has been created to implement and enforce campaign finance laws and to promote voter education through candidate debates and a Candidate Statement Pamphlet. The Act allows the Commission to provide procedures for the inspection of a candidate’s bank account, campaign finance reports and financial records relating to the candidate’s campaign. To qualify for funding, the voluntary “participating candidates” must adhere to spending and contribution limits and gather $5 qualifying contributions from district constituents who are registered voters. Participating candidates also agree to attend required debates. Welcome to our new Commissioner We would like to welcome our newest Commissioner, Tracey A. Bardorf, to the Commission. Secretary of State Jan Brewer appointed Scottsdale resident Tracey A. Bardorf to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission in 2004 for a five year term. Ms. Bardorf practices business litigation as an Associate for the law firm of Brown & Bain, P.A. in Phoenix. She earned her Juris doctorate degree, cum laude, in May 2000 from Arizona State University. Honors included Order of the Coif, Order of the Barristers, and Maricopa County Bar Association Student of the Year for 2000. She also served as executive editor of Jurimetrics: The Journal of Law, Science and Technology. Ms. Bardorf received her undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, from Saint Anselm College. She is fluent in Spanish, German and French, and is proficient in Italian. She is a member of the Maricopa County Bar Association and the Federalist Society, and is admitted to the Arizona Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Check out our Website and Sign up Now! Please visit the Citizens Clean Elections Commission website at www.ccec.state.az.us to view candidate & treasurer workshop schedules, the 2004 Annual Report, the media guide, informational publications and the helpful participating candidate and nonparticipating candidate timelines. www.ccec.state.az.us As efforts continue to better serve the public, the Commission would like interested parties to sign up to receive an the Commission Bulletin and other important Commission information. To sign up, simply go to the Commission’s website and click on the Mail List icon. If you would like specific information, check the appropriate boxes in this section. When you do this, you will also automatically be signed up to receive the Commission Bulletin! When you begin receiving e-mail updates, you will always be given the opportunity to unsubscribe from Commission mailing lists, if you are no longer interested in receiving Commission information. If you have questions, feel free to contact Voter Education Manager, Autumn Southard, at (602) 364-3477 extension 210. Page 3 The Citizens Clean Elections Commission Bulletin April 2004 Cover Design Contest Candidate Statement Pamphlet As mandated by the Clean Elections Act, the Citizens Clean Elections Commission (Commission) will produce primary and general election Candidate Statement Pamphlets for the 2004 elections. The Commission will produce and mail Candidate Statement Pamphlets to every household in Arizona containing a registered voter before the start of early voting for both the primary and general elections. The Candidate Statement Pamphlets are comprehensive sources of information for Arizona voters. By providing statements and photographs of every legislative and statewide office candidate. Deadlines: The Commission will not accept late submissions for inclusion in the pamphlets. • • Primary election statements and photographs shall be submitted no later than 5:00pm on June 9, 2004 for inclusion in the primary election pamphlet. Citizens Clean Elections Commission General election statements and photographs shall be submitted no later than 5:00pm on July 27, 2004 for inclusion in the general election pamphlet.. Attn: Eric Gorsegner Statements: • The 2004 pamphlets will include statements of 200 words in length. • The Commission will allow candidates to submit separate statements for the primary and general election pamphlets. • The Citizens Clean Elections Commission is committed to increasing voter awareness and participation among young people. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this goal is by reaching out to educators and students. The Commission is encouraging junior high & senior high students to participate in a Candidate Statement Pamphlet Cover Design Contest. The contest is a statewide competition will be based on the theme, “Take Pride in Arizona and Vote.” The winning entry will be chosen as the cover for the 2004 Candidate Statement Pamphlet. Entries must be submitted by May 1, 2004 and mailed directly to the Commission’s office at: The Commission will only accept statements electronically through the CCEC’s website. Photographs: • The 2004 candidates. • The Commission will accept digital photos only. • You may submit a statement without having submitted a photograph. pamphlets will include photographs of Please go to www.ccec.state.az.us for a complete 2004 Candidate Statement Pamphlet Submission Kit. 1616 W. Adams, Suite 110 Phoenix, AZ 85007 This is an exciting opportunity to partner with the education community on a truly unique endeavor. It allows the creative artistic energy of young people to be focused on a project that will enliven the political process and advance one of our most important civic obligations. Below are the rules & regulations: • Participants must be junior high or senior high students in the state of Arizona. • Follow the theme of “Take Pride in Arizona and Vote.” • Art must be on a non-lined, white sheet of paper. The paper should be 11”x17” in size, but no smaller than 8.5”x11.” • Artwork must be drawn vertically on the paper and returned unfolded. • Artwork can be submitted in color but will be printed in black and white. • The Citizens Clean Elections Commission will retain and reserve the right to publish all original artwork. • A registration form must accompany the artwork (this can be found at www.ccec.state.az.us). • Two winning entries will be selected – one for the Primary and one for the General Election. The deadline for entries is May 1, 2004 Page 4 The Citizens Clean Elections Commission Bulletin April 2004 New Publications! The Commission Staff has recently developed a Participating Candidate Guide and Nonparticipating Candidate Guide for the 2003-2004 election cycle. The Participating Candidate Guide includes information regarding: becoming a participating candidate, qualifying for funding, raising and spending early & personal contributions, receiving funding from the Commission and abiding by the Act. The Participating Candidate Guide also includes forms such as: the application for certification as a participating candidate, the application to receive funds & qualifying contributions report, a $5 qualifying contribution form, and the election timelines. The Nonparticipating Candidate Guide includes information regarding: filing campaign finance The reports, understanding matching funds, raising contributions and reporting expenditures. Nonparticipating Candidate Guide also includes the election timelines. We invite you to log onto the Heads Up! section of our website, at www.ccec.state.az.us, for downloadable versions of both Guides. The Guides are also provided in bound paper versions by contacting the Commission. Commission Workshops MANDATORY for Participating Candidates and their Treasurers In November 2003, the Commission adopted a new rule requiring all participating candidates and their treasurers to attend a Commission held workshop. The participating candidate workshops contain general information about the Act as well as more detailed information regarding Clean Elections rules, campaign finance laws and how to become a participating candidate. The treasurer workshops contain specific information about the campaign finance software and filing reports. The nonparticipating candidate workshops contain information on how the Act affects nonparticipating candidates. Questions will be accepted throughout the session and informational materials will be handed out to all attendees. The workshops are led by Autumn Southard, Voter Education Manager and Rebecca Hecksel, Campaign Finance Analyst. Any person with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting the CCEC at (602) 364-3477. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange accommodations.** tions Dates, Times & Loca Treasurer Workshops April 5, 2004 Time: 6:00pm Location: Tucson, U of A., 303 Univ. Blvd., Presidio rm. April 26, 2004 Time: 6:00pm Location: Phoenix, CCEC conference rm., 1616 W. Adams Nonparticipating Candidate Workshops April 28, 2004 Time: 6:00pm Location: Phoenix, CCEC conference rm., 1616 W. Adams May 25, 2004 Time: 6:00pm Location: Phoenix, CCEC conference rm., 1616 W. Adams **Please RSVP to the CCEC no later than 5 business days before the workshop that you are interested in attending.** May 18, 2004 Time: 6:00pm Location: Phoenix, CCEC conference rm., 1616 W. Adams June 17, 2004 Time: 6:00pm Location: Phoenix, CCEC conference rm., 1616 W. Adams Participating Candidate Workshops April 19, 2004 Time: 6:00pm Location: Prescott, Yavapai College, 1100 E. Sheldon Building #2, rm. 216A April 21, 2004 Time: 6:00pm Location: Phoenix, CCEC conference rm., 1616 W. Adams Page 5 The Citizens Clean Elections Commission Bulletin April 2004 Recent Press Releases *February 9, 2004 Sec. of State Brewer Appoints Tracey Bardorf for Clean Elections Seat Expects New Commissioner to be Evenhanded in Implementing Clean Elections Law PHOENIX – Secretary of State Jan Brewer appointed Scottsdale Republican Tracey A. Bardorf to serve on the Citizens Clean Elections Commission. The appointment officially fills the term for the seat scheduled to expire on January 31, 2009. “I feel strongly that Ms. Bardorf understands the need for public accountability and will bring fairness and consistency to the Clean Elections process,” stated Secretary Brewer, “I am very impressed with her energy and commitment to this process, and I feel she will do an extremely good job in representing the public on the Clean Elections Commission.” Ms. Bardorf is an Attorney with Brown & Bain, P.A. here in Phoenix. Prior to that she was a Judicial Clerk with Arizona Supreme Court Justice Frederick Martone. Ms. Bardorf earned her law degree from Arizona State University having graduated in the top 10 percent in her class. She is fluent in Spanish, German and French. She is an officer with the Maricopa County Bar Foundation Board of Trustees, and a member of the Federal Bar Association and Arizona Town Hall. *Written & released by Kevin Tyne, Deputy Secretary of State, Secretary of State’s Office. -30- *December 18, 2003 Citizens Clean Elections Commission Unanimously Elects a New Chair New Chair Dave McKay, of Flagstaff, Says Efforts to Educate Arizona Voters Must Continue PHOENIX -- When Flagstaff’s Dave McKay pounds the gavel at his first Citizens Clean Elections Commission (Commission) meeting as chair on January 28, he believes more Arizonans will have a better understanding of the Clean Elections Act (Act) and the work of the Commission than ever before. Chair McKay is quick to point, however, that the Commission’s role regarding educating Arizonans about the Act is far from over. “I think there is a better understanding on behalf of the public, and a better appreciation for the Clean Elections Act as a result of it,” said McKay, now in his fourth year of service to the Commission. That being said, McKay also stated one of his goals for the Commission as chair is to “…continue to do the job of getting the message out to the public about what the Citizens Clean Elections Act is all about. “If people choose to criticize the Act, I feel it is important that they know what they are criticizing. They are criticizing an Act that allows people who wouldn’t otherwise have the funding to be a part of the process to have the ability to have access to the funds they need.” Chair McKay’s concern for education is understandable – he is a retired educator. If education is the major priority for the Citizens Clean Elections Commission’s new chair, then communications would follow a close second. “I would like to see the openness and participation among the Commissioners continue,” McKay said. “I think a good level of openness has been established. I would like to encourage even more participation for the commissioners during our meetings. I would also like to encourage more communication between the commissioners and the commission’s staff.” Chair McKay said that would begin with him – he plans on asserting himself more as chair. “I have some very big shoes to fill,” Chair McKay said. “The former chairs, Gene Lemon and Ruth Jones, both had a real understanding of the Act, and serving under them has been a real learning experience. I’m certainly looking forward to this opportunity.” *This press release has been shortened from the original version in order to ensure inclusion in the Bulletin. If anyone would like the complete version, please contact the Commission or visit the Commission’s website at www.ccec.state.az.us. -30- Page 6 The Citizens Clean Elections Commission Bulletin April 2004 Important Dates! June 9, 2004: Deadline to file nominating petitions and papers with the SOS’s office June 9, 2004: Statements and photos due for inclusion in the Candidate Statement Pamphlet *Topic of the Quarter* Collecting $5 qualifying contributions Participating candidates must collect $5 from a number of registered voters located within the candidate’s legislative district for legislative candidates. To ensure that the candidate has enough $5 contributions, the CCEC recommends that the candidate gather at least 20% more qualifying contributions than the minimum number required. Candidates may accept $5 qualifying contributions until August 19, 2004. Office Qualifying Contributions- (*Recommended*) Minimum Required Qualifying Contributions- Minimum + 20% Legislature 210 x $5 = $1,050 210 + 20% = 252 x $5 = $1,260 Corporation Commission 1,575 x $5 = $7,875 1,575 + 20% = 1,890 x $5 = $9,450 Qualifying Contributions have to be: • In the sum of $5, exactly; • Made by a person who is registered to vote in the legislative district of the legislative office the candidate is seeking (“contributor”); • From contributors who have not given another qualifying contribution to the same candidate during that election cycle; • From contributors who have not been given anything of value in exchange for the qualifying contribution; • Received unsolicited or solicited from a person who is not compensated by or on behalf of the candidate to collect the qualifying contribution; • • Made by check, cash or money order. Accompanied by a three-part reporting slip that includes the printed name, registration address, signature of the contributor, the name of the candidate for whom the contribution is made, the date, and the printed name, signature of the solicitor. Helpful Hints: • A contributor may give a $5 qualifying contribution to more than one candidate for the same office. • A contributor may give a $5 qualifying contribution, a $110 early contribution, as well as sign a nomination petition on behalf of the same candidate. • The contributor’s party affiliation DOES NOT matter for the $5 qualifying contributions. *Redistricting Note: To collect $5 qualifying contributions, participating candidates may accept $5 qualifying contributions from registered voters in their district, with their districts being based on Independent Redistricting Commission’s Final 2002 Adopted Legislative Plan and any subsequent maps precleared and any subsequent map implemented by a federal court for use in the 2004 elections. ns Citizens Clean Electio Commission Bulletin Volume 1, Quarter 2 April 2004 1616 W. Adams, Suite 110 Phoenix, AZ 85007 Thank you very much for tak ing the time to read our second qua rter Bulletin! The Bulletin is publish ed once a quarter and is posted on the Commission’s website. (602) 364-3477 (602) 364-3487, fax 1-877-631-8891, toll free Visit us on the Web! www.ccec.state.az.us 2004 Second Quarter Commission Meeting Schedule Citizens Clean Elections Commission Commissioners David G. McKay, Chair Upcoming Meetings April Kathleen S. Detrick Ermila Jolley Tuesday, 4/27/04 9:30am Marcia Busching Tracey A. Bardorf May Commission meetings are held monthly in the Citizens Clean Elections Commission conference room at 1616 W. Adams in Phoenix. Tuesday, 5/25/04 9:30am Please contact the Commission or check the Commission website, www.ccec.state.az.us to confirm meeting dates and times. June The Commission meeting minutes and agendas are available free of charge on the Commission website. Additionally, past minutes and agendas are posted on the website. Tuesday, 6/22/04 9:30am