Between the fractious debates and the perpetual polling, you might think all eyes are glued on November 2016 -- and an election that's still a year away. But there was an election this year, and an important outcome in one state points to how we can improve elections in 2016 and beyond.
Mainers set an example for the rest of the country by passing an accountable elections referendum. The new law does just what it sounds like -- holds politicians accountable to voters instead of wealthy special interests. It strengthens the state's Clean Elections Fund, increases fines and penalties for those who break election laws, and requires that political ads list the top funders who paid for them.
Why are reforms like this so important to the Sierra Club? Because a healthy democracy is essential to a healthy environment. Otherwise, wealthy individuals and corporations rooted in polluting industries will continue to flood our political system with big money -- spending unprecedented amounts on campaign contributions to politicians with dismal records on votes for clean energy and climate action.
The Sierra Club's Maine Chapter has been at the forefront of this fight for democracy since at least 1996, when Maine voters passed the nation's first clean elections law. Since then, Mainers who previously could not have afforded to run for office and win have succeeded against the handpicked candidates of deep-pocketed special interests. And with the playing field leveled between big polluters and everyone else, Maine passed important environmental legislation such as the Maine Climate Change Act in 2003 and the Kid-Safe Products Law in 2008 -- proof that good elections can lead to better policy.
To help get the referendum passed, the Sierra Club engaged our members and supporters (we have over 15,000 of them in Maine), worked hard to educate voters on the connection between clean elections and a clean environment, leveraged our voice through letters to the editors in local newspapers, and most important, turned out voters on Election Day.
For all that, though, we absolutely could not have succeeded without our partners in the Democracy Initiative. Together we formed an unbeatable coalition of workers, teachers, community leaders, environmentalists, and other democracy-loving Mainers to show what's possible when we join forces.
And you can bet we aren't going to stop with the Pine Tree State. The Sierra Club will continue working with our allies in the Democracy Initiative to take the fight for better elections to cities and other states around the country. Learn more and find out how to get involved at sierraclub.org/democracy.