Arizona voters have approved a measure that will limit the authority of the state commission that provides public financing to political candidates and give the governor more oversight over the commission.
The changes to state law will allow the governor to reject rules proposed by the members of the Citizens Clean Elections Commission and will prevent candidates from spending public funds on political party services.
Proposition 306 was put on the ballot by the Republican-controlled Legislature in its latest effort to mute the commission's power. The independent panel finances candidates who reject private financing and fundraising and enforces campaign finance disclosure rules.
Passage of the measure means that regulations proposed by the bipartisan commission created by voters in 1998 can now be overturned by a panel overseen by the governor.
