Valley Leaders: Keep Elections Clean!

According to a just-released survey, Valley business and community leaders support Arizona’s current campaign financing system and plan to vote against the ballot initiative aimed at overturning the Clean Elections law.  The Valley Influentials Poll, which surveys members of Valley Leadership, East Valley Partnership, Greater Phoenix Leadership, and Westmarc, asked members how they plan to vote on the initiative called, “No Taxpayer Money for Politicians.”  This initiative aims to repeal the Clean Elections law by changing the state Constitution to ban public funding of campaigns.  But the Clean Elections law has strong support and clearly will not easily be overthrown.

Among Valley leaders, those planning to support Arizona’s Clean Elections Law outnumber those planning to repeal it two-to-one.  A full 61% of leaders plan to vote ‘no,’ compared to just 30% planning to vote ‘yes’ to the “No Taxpayer Money for Politicians” initiative which would have the effect of overturning Arizona’s cutting-edge public campaign financing.  Just under one-in-ten (9%) Valley Leaders are undecided how they will likely cast their vote.

Democrats Strong Supporters of Clean Elections

Noteworthy differences between Republicans and Democrats clearly do exist.  In fact, among Democrats just 10% plan to vote in favor of the initiative that would repeal Arizona’s Clean Elections law, while a full 82% plan to vote against this initiative (8% undecided).  On the other hand, nearly half (49%) of Republicans plan to vote in favor of the initiative that would repeal Clean Elections, while 43% will vote against this initiative (8% undecided).  Among Independent voters, the move to repeal Clean Elections garners a relatively weak 19% in favor, while 67% plan to vote against (14% undecided).

Ideological Differences

Those describing themselves as politically conservative are more apt that those describing themselves liberal to vote to repeal Arizona’s Clean Elections law.  Among conservatives, 56% plan to vote in favor of the initiative, while 36% will likely vote against it (8% undecided).  Among liberals, however, just 12% will likely vote in favor of the initiative, while 81% intend to vote against it (8% undecided).

Differences by Group

Some noteworthy differences between the four groups exist.  Strongest support for the initiative to repeal the Clean Elections law come from Greater Phoenix Leadership (64% in favor, 36% opposed, 0% undecided) and East Valley Partnership (51% in favor, 41% opposed, 8% undecided), while members of both Westmarc (39% in favor, 54% opposed, 7% undecided) and Valley Leadership (23% in favor, 68% opposed, 9% undecided) are more likely to vote against the initiative and keep our state’s Clean Elections law.