By AlannaDurkin, The Associated Press
AUGUSTA, Maine — A Maine group is preparing to deliver tens of thousands of signatures to get a measure on the ballot aimed at strengthening the state's struggling public financing elections law.
Maine Citizens for Clean Elections says the proposal would provide candidates with access to more cash on the campaign trail, allowing them to better compete with their privately financed opponents. The goal is to encourage more people seeking public office to take advantage of the system, reducing the influence of private money in politics.
It plans to submit roughly 80,000 signatures to the secretary of state on Wednesday.
But a Republican senator has put in a bill to ask voters whether they want to repeal the Clean Election Act. Sen. Eric Brakey says the state should consider whether the resources would be better spent elsewhere.