A former congressional and state Senate candidate has been named as executive director for the Clean Elections Institute, a privately funded nonprofit that supports the idea of publicly funded elections.
Eric Ehst was named to head the institute after Barbara Lubin, the group’s executive director since 2002, resigned effective May 15.
An aerospace engineer by training, Mr. Ehst said he has worked for years in leadership and lobbyist positions for groups in favor of campaign finance reform issues, such as the League of Women Voters and the Arizona Advocacy Network.
“I’m very grateful,” said Mr. Ehst, of his appointment. “I’ve been involved with the process for a very long time. It’s a great opportunity. The Clean Elections Institute is still much needed because we still have a long way to go.”
Aside from the institute’s usual duties of monitoring the Citizens Clean Elections Commission’s rule adoptions and enforcement matters, strides must be made to correct inequities that exist for traditionally funded candidates, specifically reporting requirements and the triggering of matching funds, he said.
“It’s pretty onerous right now for the non-participating candidates,” said Mr. Ehst, a former campaign treasurer and chairman for Democrat Laurie Larson, who sought election to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2000 and 2002.
Ms. Lubin cited as reasons for her resignation her desire to return to family life and the institute’s difficulty obtaining necessary funding from the Massachusetts-based Piper Fund to carry on operations.
The Citizens Clean Elections Commission (CCEC), a five-member board that oversees Arizona’s system of publicly funded elections, issued a press release May 11, thanking Ms. Lubin for her advocacy and defense of the Clean Elections Act, which implemented public funding for legislative and statewide elections in 1998.
“It has been through Lubin’s work that the topic of campaign finance reform has received national attention,” said Michael Becker, voter education manager of the CCEC. “Her commitment has assisted in positioning Arizona’s Clean Elections system as the national model for campaign finance reform.”
Board president also quits
Clean Elections Institute Board President Wes Gullett also stepped down. He said that his two-year term had finished and that he looked forward to concentrating on his work as a consultant and “homework with his children.”
He has been replaced by Marge Mead, currently a legislative coordinator for the Arizona National Organization of Women and an active member of the League of Women Voters.
The Clean Elections Institute’s relationship with the Piper Fund had become more “mysterious” upon the arrival of new management, Mr. Gullett said.
“The communications wasn’t the best,” he said.
Mr. Ehst, a Democrat, ran unsuccessfully against Republican John Shadegg in the 4th Congressional District in 1998. He also campaigned for state senator for District 24 in 1996.