By now every household with a registered voter has received a copy of the Citizens Clean Elections Commission’s “2004 Statewide and Legislative Candidate Statements.”

The nonpartisan guide was established as part of the Citizens Clean Elections Act, passed by voters in 1998. The guide is intended to allow candidates for statewide or legislative office to provide a brief statement informing voters of their qualifications for office and their positions on the issues. It was not intended to be a forum for mudslinging. Yet, that is what a few candidates have chosen to do with their allotted space in the guide. Rather than providing voters with reasons to vote for them, they have opted for the low road, attacking their opponents in ways that range from the not so subtle to the utterly tasteless, including misrepresentation of facts and ugly characterizations of opponents and their positions. This is an insult to the voters and a disservice to the democratic process.

Arizona’s landmark Clean Elections system has delivered remarkable results and is admired by reformers across the country as a model to emulate. Clean Elections has increased competition for public office and increased voter participation. Candidates are now campaigning in all corners of their districts, not just the wealthy sectors where big donors live. Clean Elections has cut the ties between special interest money and candidates so that elections are decided by what the candidates say and do, not how much money they have in their campaign war chests.

The Clean Elections Institute works to encourage participation in the electoral process and build confidence in our democratic institutions. We believe that our democracy is strengthened when more voters participate. We are grateful that most candidates are using the voter guide as it was intended: to educate and inform voters of their merits. Let’s keep the mud where it belongs — in the gutter — by voting against negative campaigns.

The Clean Elections Institute Board of Directors

Wes Gullett, Sharlene Bozack, Fred DuVal, Jon Fiegen, Renz Jennings, James Matthews, Marge Mead, Marion Murray, James J. Sedillo, Michael Valder