The Michigan Campaign Finance Network (MCFN) has released a set of broad recommendations for political reform in Michigan. The recommendations, released yesterday, call for a wide vareity of reforms in how elections are run, how campaigns are funded, and how election laws are built. The recommendations are built on research done by the MCFN and are an agenda for “defending our greatest treasure: our democracy.” Individuals wishing to get involved in organizing around these issues should sign-up for the MCFN’s mailing list.
Election administration
- Establish regulations against fraud in the ballot initiative process
- Allow no-excuse absentee ballots
- Reduce from 30 days the time requirement between registration and voting
- Rotate which party’s candidate is listed first on the ballot
- Implement instant run-off voting
Campaign Finance
- Require quarterly campaign finance reporting from all registered committees: candidate committees, PACs, political parties and ballot committees
- Require 48-hour reporting of late independent expenditures
- Establish contribution limits for PACs and parties
- Raise contribution limits for candidates facing big-spending self-funded opponents
- Establish an aggregate individual contribution limit
- Establish a limit on “lame duck” fundraising
- Require political robo-calls to have a disclaimer and be disclosed as campaign expenditures
- Regulate “issue ads”
Lobbying
- Set a low, uniform threshold for reporting of all lobbying expenditures
- Require a one-year “cooling off” period before an elected official or high administration official can become a registered lobbyist
Enforcement
- Establish an independent, nonpartisan body for enforcement of campaign finance, lobbying and ethics laws
- Make penalties for violations that are severe enough to provide a real disincentive for future violations
- Implement random audits and audits for cause of campaign finance reports
Ethics
- Require personal financial disclosure for elected officials and top administration officials
- Extend ethics law to cover the legislative branch
- Require financial disclosure of elected officials’ legal defense funds
Judicial independence
- Establish a system of full public funding for Supreme Court campaigns
Term limits
- Eliminate or extend term limits
Redistricting
- Establish a redistricting process that reduces partisan considerations in drawing boundaries, promotes election competition, and respects minority voting rights.
