Concerns about the corrupting influence of money in politics have led to renewed interest in public campaign financing. Some argue that using public funds to pay for political campaigns can alleviate the inequalities that are endemic to politics in the United States. Does public financing for elections work? How effective is Hawai‘i’s current system? What are some alternatives we might consider? This policy brief describes various models for public campaign financing and considers the claims of advocates and critics. It concludes that a robust system of public funding would likely lead to more political competition and could be supported by a relatively modest appropriation from general funds.
By Colin Moore
Chair | School of Communication & Information
Associate Professor | Matsunaga Institute & UHERO (The Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawai`i)
University of Hawai'i | Honolulu, HI
