Does Clean Elections increase the number of candidates willing to run for public office?
A. Yes. For example, in Arizona the number of people willing to run for the state legislature has increased by about 20%, providing voters with greater choice. Clean Elections also decreases the number of uncontested races (in which there is only one candidate running). In Maine, the number of uncontested races dropped from about 20% before Clean Elections was implemented to 2% in the last two elections. The number of incumbents without challengers also dropped from 17% to less than 1% in the same period.
