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Fewer Maine Candidates Qualify For 'Clean Election' Funding

PORTLAND, Maine - The state ethics commission says the coronavirus pandemic has dramatically decreased the number of publicly funded campaigns. The Portland Press Herald reports that officials at the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Campaign Finance, which oversees funding for the Maine Clean Elections Act, reports that 43 candidates were unable to qualify.

This year 208 candidates did qualify by collecting $5 contributions from 60 registered voters, which is the second consecutive decrease in so-called "clean election" candidates.

In 2014, 249 candidates qualified, and 229 candidates qualified in 2016.