Amendment 6 fails: Florida voters reject repeal of public campaign financing

ORLANDO, Fla. - LIVE ELECTION COVERAGE | Watch FOX 35 News in the video player above for live election coverage, live election results for president, U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, and local Florida races, including six amendments.

Florida voters have rejected Amendment 6, which would have repealed public financing for statewide candidates.

Under the public-finance program, candidates for governor and Cabinet seats can receive matches for individual contributions of $250 or less. In exchange, candidates agree to abide by certain campaign spending limits. Matching funds are not available for contributions to political committees or outside of statewide races.

Republican supporters of Amendment 6 pointed to a need to limit government spending. But opponents of the amendment contended that public funding helps level the playing field for candidates with limited financial support.

Candidates have tapped the program for more than $33 million over the four most-recent gubernatorial election cycles.

Public campaign financing was approved by voters in 1998.

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A 2010 proposal by the Legislature to repeal the program fell short, getting 52.49 percent support from voters. Tuesday’s proposal received slightly over 50 percent.

In addition to the four proposals placed on the ballot by the Legislature, voters also considered proposed constitutional amendments on recreational use of marijuana and abortion rights. Both of those amendments did not reach the 60 percent threshold.

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