SBOE Issues Draft Regulations for Pilot Public Funding Program

The State Board of Elections (SBOE) recently proposed draft rules regarding the Public Financing Pilot Program, will apply only to the State Comptroller’s race this fall.

According to the SBOE web site, the proposed regulations “will be discussed and are anticipated to be adopted as an emergency regulation by the Board at its next meeting on May 22, 2014.”

As part of the 2014-15 state budget, lawmakers enacted a program to provide public matching funds “to reduce the influence of money in politics.” The program, which is modeled after New York City’s program, will enable qualifying candidates to receive $6 dollars from the state for each $1 they raise from eligible New York voters, up to $175.

Incumbent Comptroller Tom DiNapoli (D) has said that he will not participate in the pilot program, while his challenger Robert Antonacci (R) will participate.

It is possible that public funding of campaigns will be expanded — for the 2016 and subsequent elections — before the 2014 legislative session is over.