Politics
Public Campaign Funding Gains Steam to Counter Big Donors’ Sway
Data suggest public financing can increase the diversity of candidates and the number of small donations, but many Americans aren’t keen on paying for elections with their tax dollars.
Christina Henderson, at-large member of the Council of the District of Columbia.
Photographer: Jahi Chikwendiu/Washington Post/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
When Christina Henderson, a new at-large member of the Council of the District of Columbia, first considered running for office, one of her worries was whether she could raise enough money to be competitive. “I was not independently wealthy. Most of my friends worked in the public sector,” says Henderson, who was previously a staffer on the Council.
But D.C. had begun public financing before the 2020 election cycle. The program provides candidates who agree to accept only small contributions with a 5-to-1 match for every dollar raised from a D.C. resident. Henderson took her chance, won her seat, and credits the program with giving her a path.