Public funding, spending limits needs for nonpartisan races

The era of big dollar spending on what were intended to be non-political positions needs to end, but it will take legislative bravery and action by the public to make that happen.

Wisconsin must move to put constitutional spending limits and public funding in place for nonpartisan elected offices. The tally for last April’s Supreme Court race between Brad Schimel and Susan Crawford set a record with $115 million spent. This is more than double the previous record of $56 million in spending set two years ago. In that race, Janet Protasiewicz won an open seat on the court and gave it a liberal majority for the first time in more than a decade. That record was noteworthy because it was more than triple the previous record for a state supreme court race.

In the months leading up to last spring’s elections, it was impossible to open a mailbox without an avalanche of mailers sliding out or to listen to broadcast television or radio without being bombarded non-stop with inflammatory commercials. Even those retreating to online media were met with a barrage of intrusive advertising portraying the race as a battle for the soul of the state.

In the hyperbolic world of what passes for campaign rhetoric, there was little space for reasoned arguments or levelheaded decision making. That is not what wins elections in modern America. Instead, voters were subjected to all the gut punches $115 million can buy.

To put it in perspective, the money spent on filling airwaves and recycling bins with campaign garbage would have been enough to pave more than 575 miles of local roads or pay the salaries of more than 2,000 elementary school teachers.

Running a statewide campaign in a state as large as Wisconsin costs money, but the spending has gotten out of hand and and is only projected to get worse. The spiraling spending on state supreme court races, and other non-partisan offices in Wisconsin needs to stop.

Massive election spending makes elected officials beholden to the big money interests bankrolling their campaigns rather than to the voters or the rule of law.

A significant way to reduce the spending on campaigns is to reduce the period of time that candidates may actively campaign. Shorter campaign seasons will also lead to less voter fatigue, and help voters to stay engaged with the issues rather than becoming jaded and tuning out due to the constant shouting on all sides.

The Wisconsin legislature has demonstrated its willingness to make tweaks to the state constitution with the number of amendments that have gone to voters in recent years. It is time to bring another amendment forward to cap the spending on non-partisan races through creating a window during which campaign spending can occur and implementing public funding so that candidates can be independent of big-moneyed interests.

Elections should not be decided by who has the deepest pockets or the most connection to out-of-state billionaires, but rather on ideas, vision and commitment to service.

Wisconsin must work to bring common sense back to non-partisan election spending.