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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Public Financing Comes to Wisconsin Supreme Court

Prompted by escalating campaign spending and the increasing use of attack ads, Wisconsin state legislators and Gov. Jim Doyle have enacted a bill to provide public financing for the Supreme Court’s candidates.
Would-be justices would qualify for the funds by agreeing to limit spending and by raising small sums totaling between $5,000 and $15,000 from 1,000 different contributors. They could then receive up to $100,000 for a primary race and up to $300,000 for a general election – which,

What is Public Financing?

Q: What is public financing?

A: It’s the system under which candidates can use U.S. Treasury dollars to fund their campaigns. But only if they agree to play by a complicated set of rules.