This election cycle, millions of Florida voters will decide whether to keep a state provision that allows taxpayer dollars to be spent on campaigns.
Amendment 6, if passed, would get rid of a provision that provides public funds to candidates running for state offices. This includes the governor, attorney general, and the chief financial officer.
The state enacted the law 26 years ago, and it created a gift-matching program that allows politicians to use taxpayer dollars to fund their campaigns.
Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried has benefited from the program.
“It allowed me the opportunity to get some additional funds at the end, that put an extra couple points on tv," said Fried. "It gave me some flexibility on some of my spending. That pushed me over the finish line.”
According to the Florida Division of Elections, Fried’s campaign took in $158,507.10 in matching funds when she was elected agriculture commissioner in 2018. She reached $944,850 in Florida’s gubernatorial election.
But not all politicians like the idea of using public funds for campaigns.
Earlier this year, the Florida Legislature passed a measure that made Amendment 6 possible. State Senator Travis Hutson (R-Palm Coast) said during the legislative session that he opposes public funding, noting that voters would much rather see their money go towards meaningful projects.
“Spend it on local water projects or things in health care," said Hutson. "Things that are more important back to the districts that voters have put us up here to decide.”
Hutson implored Florida voters to vote “yes” on Amendment 6 so they can quote “make better use of taxpayer dollars.”
“I like to put it to the voters of Florida to see if they’d like to repeal that to find a better use for our taxpayer dollars," said Hutson.
Amendment 6 falls on the shoulders of a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision that removed several campaign spending restrictions for corporations, labor unions, and national banks.
“Public financing is even more necessary to balance the interest of people against the outsized impact of corporate donors," West Palm Beach Democratic Sen. Bobby Powell said.
Powell claims that decision put wealthy candidates at an unfair advantage over lesser-known politicians. He wants Floridians to vote down Amendment 6 to keep big donor groups from ultimately deciding close races.
“Isn’t public financing even more necessary to balance the interest of people against the outsized impact of corporate donors?" Powell asked Hutson during the 2024 legislative session.
Sen. Powell and other Democrats in the Legislature believes that public campaign financing is a small, yet valuable donation from voters to hold politicians accountable.
But in 2022, the state’s public financing fund drew in $13 million from Florida taxpayers, with Governor Ron DeSantis' campaign receiving more than half of that—$7,302,617.03 to be exact.
Despite this, Powell says the money plays an important role in keeping elections fair.
“The impact of this money is to empower Floridian voters by making their small donations more valuable, and incentivizing politicians to seek their support, instead of simply quoting the major donors," said Powell.
Amendment 6 requires the approval of at least 60% of Florida voters.
