Washington, D.C. — Today, the D.C., Council unanimously voted in favor of the D.C. Fair Elections Act, a measure that would help fight corruption and empower small donors by making matching funds for small donations available to qualifying candidates. The bill is now headed to the mayor’s desk for her signature. Liz Kennedy, senior director of Democracy and Government Reform at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
The Center for American Progress congratulates Washington, D.C., on joining a growing number of cities and states in creating a program to elevate the voices of small donors in elections and facilitate fair representation for all. Democracy works best when everyone—not just the wealthy—can make their voices heard and support candidates that represent their views. Programs such as D.C. Fair Elections empower ordinary citizens to ensure that government works on their behalf, instead of being dependent on special interests and the wealthiest few. At a time when 96 percent of Americans believe that money is contributing to dysfunction in U.S. politics, Washington, D.C., is taking a critical step to fight corruption and amplify citizens’ voices so government is responsive and accountable to them.
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