Leading Democracy Reform Groups Launch Campaign for California Fair Elections Act

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Clean Money Action Fund, California Common Cause, and the League of Women Voters of California launched the campaign for the California Fair Elections Act appearing on voters’ November 2026 ballot. If passed, the act would remove a ban on public financing for elections and put power back in the hands of voters — not wealthy special interests.

The three organizations will chair the new ballot measure committee, Californians for Fair Elections.

The California Fair Elections Act would allow cities, counties, districts, and the state to establish public campaign financing systems that amplify small-dollar donors and strengthen accountability while requiring strict safeguards, spending limits, and protections for taxpayer funds. It does not mandate public financing anywhere; it simply allows local communities to decide whether they want to adopt it.

Since 2020, over $1 billion has been spent on California state candidate campaigns alone, according to records in the Secretary of State’s Power Search. Similarly, large sums are spent on local campaigns. This fuels a political system where large donors and corporate interests hold outsized influence in elections, pricing out everyday people from being able to run for office.

Polling by California Clean Money Campaign shows 81% of California voters believe big money contributors have too much influence over elected officials.

Five California charter cities — Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and Long Beach — already use public financing systems that help everyday people compete with big money-backed candidates and expand who can run for office. But public financing programs are banned everywhere in California except charter cities.

The California Fair Elections Act will give voters the chance to change that and give every community the same opportunity. It will also establish basic requirements that public financing systems and publicly financed candidates must follow to protect taxpayers and maximize the benefit to voters. It requires candidates to abide by expenditure limits and meet strict criteria to qualify for public funds. It also bans the use of public funds to pay legal defense fees or fines.

The California Fair Elections Act was placed on the ballot after Governor Newsom signed SB 42, authored by Senators Tom Umberg, Ben Allen, and Sabrina Cervantes, and Assemblymember Alex Lee. SB 42 was sponsored by California Clean Money Campaign, California Common Cause, and the League of Women Voters of California, and was backed by a broad state, local, and national coalition including ACLU, AFSCME, Asian Law Caucus, California Environmental Voters, California Nurses Association, California Labor Federation, Courage California, Dolores Huerta Foundation, Indivisible CA: Statestrong, La Defensa, and many others.

Statements from Campaign Leaders and Supporters:

“The California Fair Elections Act is about restoring trust, strengthening accountability, and making sure everyday Californians have a real say in who represents them,” said Trent Lange, California Clean Money Action Fund’s Executive Director. “This measure puts power back where it belongs: with voters.”

“Democracy works best when everyone has a voice in our state’s future, not just the wealthy and well-connected,” said Darius Kemp, Common Cause’s California Executive Director. “The California Fair Elections Act is a pro-voter reform that opens the door for teachers, nurses, small business owners, and community leaders to run competitive campaigns and win. This is how we build a democracy that reflects all of California.”

“For years, the League of Women Voters of California has fought to put voters — not big donors — at the center of our democracy,” said Jenny Farrell, League of Women Voters of California’s Executive Director. “The California Fair Elections Act gives voters the chance to move toward elections where candidates listen to voters instead of chasing money. It will open the door for more women, people of color, and working-class Californians to run and win — and strengthen the foundation of our democracy.”

“The California Fair Elections Act puts power back in the hands of the people. By giving Californians the chance to repeal the ban on public campaign financing, we’re ensuring that voters, not politicians or special interests, decide how elections can be financed in our state,” said Senator Tom Umberg, author of SB 42. “This is about empowering everyday voters and opening the door for more diverse voices in public office.”

“Our democracy should not be for sale. Big Money is drowning out the voices of everyday voters,” said Assemblymember Alex Lee, joint author of SB 42. “Public financing is the reform we need to bring power back to the people and level the playing field for grassroots candidates to run for office. It will help rebuild voters’ faith in democracy and show that Big Money can’t buy our elections.”

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The California Clean Money Action Fund is a non-partisan organization that has been fighting to limit the undue influence of Big Money in California politics since 2006.  All our support comes from individuals, with no funding from corporations or unions.