Maryland Reporter

Rarely used public campaign funds redirected for voting machines, may be retiring after 2010 election

After remaining untouched for years — and most likely just collecting interest this campaign season — Gov. Martin O’Malley and the legislature raided a $5.6 million fund that allows gubernatorial candidates to get campaign finance help from taxpayers.

Called the Fair Campaign Financing Fund, it has been receiving contributions from taxpayers — but mostly just collecting interest — since 1975, said Jared DeMarinis, director of the division of Candidacy and Campaign Finance for the Maryland State Board of Elections. In the 35 years it’s been on the books, the fund has only been tapped into during the 1994 campaign.

Proposals to do more with public campaign financing — like increasing the amount that gubernatorial candidates can get, or creating a public campaign finance program for General Assembly candidates — have been talked about in Annapolis over the last few years. None has become law.

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