Activist says it's time to pay more for elections

Editor's note: Some questions and answers have been edited for length and content

By Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Staff Writer

Arguing that state lawmakers are too dependent on campaign contributions, several activists want Hawai'i to follow states that provide greater public financing of elections.

The state now offers candidates partial financing, but it is not widely popular. Twenty-six of the 284 candidates who ran for state office during the 2004 elections — or 9 percent — accepted public money, according to the state Campaign Spending Commission.

Jessica Wisneski, field coordinator for Hawai'i Clean Elections, believes that public financing could limit the influence of special interests on lawmakers and expand the pool of candidates.

Advertiser: Why should taxpayers pay for politicians to run for office?

Wisneski: The Supreme Court has upheld that public funds can be used for candidates to run for public office. Elections are considered one of the most fundamental aspects of a democracy and are designed for the public good.

Advertiser: Define special interest?

Wisneski: Everyone is a special interest. Every group and every individual. The special interests that we are concerned with are those who can donate thousands of dollars to campaigns, and therefore carry more weight when it comes to influencing elected officials.

Advertiser: The cost of Hawai'i campaigns is not as high as in some other states, and Hawai'i lawmakers are part time and not particularly well paid. Doesn't that limit how beholden lawmakers are to special interests?

Wisneski: I would argue that being parttime and paid next to nothing doesn't have much to do with it. Campaigns in Hawai'i are expensive. Over 24 candidates for state House of Representatives in 2004 spent more than $50,000 on their campaigns. To the average person in Hawai'i, that's a lot of money. And that's not what was collected in campaign contributions, that's just what was spent.

Advertiser: What voices do you think are being left out of the political debate because of money?

Wisneski: I would say everyone has the opportunity to be part of the political debate, through communications with their representatives, through media, and so on. However, in a political world where re-election often depends on large campaign accounts, those with money have greater access to candidates and those with money or access to it have a greater opportunity to run for office.

Advertiser: What are your chances?

Wisneski: Our chances, I would say, are good. We have supporters like Colleen Hanabusa in the Senate, Rep. Sylvia Luke in the House. We have some really strong supporters in both houses who have been working on this for years.

The time is ripe. The time is now. It's been a long haul, but the public is ready for this.

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.