Amendment 75, which aimed to make campaign contribution levels more equitable in statewide races, failed to pass on Tuesday by significant margin.
As of 9:20 p.m., Tuesday — and with 45 percent of the counties reporting — 66 percent had voted against the measure with 34 percent voting in support.
The proposal stated that if a candidate in any race directs more than a million dollars to either their own campaign, a campaign committee or other entity, then all candidates in that race would be allowed to receive contributions at five times the normal rate.
The amendment only applied to statewide candidates, including: State House and Senate, governor, lieutenant governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer and State Board of Education.
Since Amendment 75 failed, candidates will remain subject to Amendment 27, which directs that candidates vying for statewide office can accept no more than $1,150 from any individual during each election cycle. However, those same candidates can donate an unlimited amount of funds to their own campaigns. This disrepancy has historically been referred to by critics as the “millionaire loophole,” as many of the richest candidates have used their enormous wealth to their advantage. Under Amendment 27, state legislature candidates are allowed to receive up to $400 in individual contributions — the lowest total in the country.
Amendment 75 would have allowed candidates to receive up to $5,750.