What Amendment 6 Means to You

Public campaign financing programs are a practical, proven reform that empowers voters rather than big political donors. Ballot Summary: “Proposing the repeal of the provision in the State Constitution that requires public financing for the campaigns of candidates for elective statewide office who agree to campaign spending limits." As the Florida Statutes outlines, “the purpose of public campaign financing is to make candidates more responsive to the voters of the State of Florida and to insulate them as much as possible from special interest groups.”

Running an effective statewide campaign in Florida is incredibly costly. This deters qualified individuals from seeking office unless they are independently wealthy, and it can also lead candidates to become overly dependent on contributions from a few affluent individuals or special interest groups. Public campaign financing aims to mitigate these effects, enabling more people to pursue statewide office and highlighting the significance of small-dollar donations.

Florida’s public campaign financing program is a matching initiative for small-dollar donations. This means candidates can only access public funds as a match to contributions made by individual Florida residents who give $250 or less. It also means that the contributions from small-dollar donors carry one or two times the value they would otherwise hold for the candidate. In this way, the program offers both a funding source free from special interests and a direct financial incentive for candidates to seek a broad base of support from everyday Floridians.

Additionally, to qualify, candidates must meet specific criteria and agree to adhere to transparency measures: they must not run unopposed; they must raise $150,000 (for gubernatorial candidates) or $100,000 (for cabinet candidates); they must limit loans or contributions from personal funds to $25,000; they must restrict contributions from political parties to $250,000; and they must agree to report campaign financing data to the division of elections and undergo a post-election financial audit.

Public campaign financing is one of the most effective ways to support a broader diversity of candidates running for office. A more varied group of candidates leads to a more representative group of elected leaders who come from the communities they serve and share the experiences and challenges of everyday Floridians. Public financing specifically helps candidates focused on building extensive community networks who depend on small contributions from ordinary Floridians.

Voters across the political spectrum agree that money in politics is a significant issue. If this amendment is enacted, it will diminish the voice and influence of everyday Floridians while further amplifying the power of wealthy special interests in our political system.