TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Amendment 6, which seeks to eliminate Florida’s long-standing and popular public campaign financing program, heads to the November 2024 ballot. This Amendment will eliminate public funding that supports candidate diversity and helps to reduce runaway campaign spending.

Urging Floridians to vote no, Amy Keith, executive director of Common Cause Florida issued the following statement: 

“You should not have to be rich to run for office. Amendment 6 would make it harder for individuals who are not personally wealthy to run for statewide elected office, leave candidates even more beholden to special interests, and reduce the voice of small-dollar donors and ordinary voters.

“A more diverse pool of candidates fosters a more diverse group of elected leaders who come from the communities they serve and share the experiences and challenges of ordinary Floridians. But the fact is, Amendment 6 would make it harder for women and People of Color to run for statewide office. 

“Floridians want a democracy that reflects our communities and elected leaders who understand our everyday lives, leaders who will enact policies that address the real challenges we face. Public campaign financing makes elected leaders like this more possible. That’s why Floridians have already affirmed their support for Public Campaign Financing in 1998 and 2010. And it’s the Legislature, not ordinary Floridians, who wanted this on the ballot this year.

“To support more diverse candidates to run for statewide office and to protect fairer elections, Common Cause Florida urges voters to vote NO on Amendment 6 this November.”

###