Non-profit

Maine Citizens For Clean Elections

Website:

www.mainecleanelections.org/

Location:

Portland, ME

Tax ID:

27-2646667

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $575,224
Expenses: $417,806
Assets: $314,517

Type:

Campaign finance advocacy

Founded:

1995

Executive Director:

Anna Keller

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Maine Citizens For Clean Elections is a left-of-center organization that works on campaign finance and other election policy-related issues in Maine. The organization supports taxpayer-funded political campaigns and ranked choice voting.

Overview

Maine Citizens For Clean Elections is a left-of-center organization that works on campaign finance and other election related issues in Maine. It is a supporter of laws restricting freedom of speech through campaign finance laws. It is also an advocate of taxpayer-funded political campaigns, which require taxpayers to fund the political campaigns of candidates with whom they may disagree. 1

The organization was founded in 1995 to promote a ballot initiative called the Maine Clean Election Act. The MCEA proposed a system of taxpayer-funded elections that would give taxpayer dollars to political candidates that did not take money from certain entities. The MCEA was passed in 1996 and implemented in 2000. 2

In addition to supporting taxpayer-funded elections, the group is also an advocate of changing the way Americans vote for president. In 2019, it supported legislation that would have permitted the state to join the National Popular Vote compact, under which the state would award its electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote. 3

The organization is also a supporter of ranked-choice voting. In 2016, Maine voters approved an initiative that enacted ranked choice voting in the state. Ranked choice voting was enacted after a Republican governor was elected twice with less than 50% of the vote. 4

In 2021, the organization supported the For the People Act on the federal level. The legislation would allow for a federal takeover of election procedures and more restrictions on freedom of speech through campaign finance restrictions. 5

Affiliation With Other Organizations

Maine Citizens For Clean Elections often works with the League of Women Voters of Maine and the two organizations are the main collaborators behind Democracy Maine. Democracy Maine is an organization that advocates for ranked choice voting, restrictions on political speech through campaign finance laws, and taxpayer funded political campaigns in Maine. 6  Maine Citizens For Clean Elections and League of Women Voters of Maine share an executive director. 7

The organization has a youth affiliate called Maine Students Vote. 8

Leadership

The executive director of both Maine Citizens for Clean Elections and the League of Women Voters of Maine is Anna Keller. Keller was appointed joint executive director of both organizations in 2017. Keller has been with the organization since 2014. 9

Allyson Gardner is the director of Maine Students Vote. 10

Jill Ward is the president of both Maine Citizens for Clean Elections and the League of Women Voters of Maine. She has been involved with MCCE since 2008. She previously worked with the left-of-center organizations Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and Children’s Defense Fund. 11

Finances

According to its 2019 tax returns, Maine Citizens for Clean Elections had revenue of $575.224 and expenses of $417,806. It had $314,517 worth of assets. 12

In 2018, MCCE received $660,000 from the William & Flora Hewitt Foundation. 13

References

  1. Anderson, Theo. “Maine Leads The Nation In Campaign Finance Reform.” In These Times. Dec. 13, 2016. https://inthesetimes.com/article/maine-leads-the-nation-in-campaign-finance-reform.
  2. Anderson, Theo. “Maine Leads The Nation In Campaign Finance Reform.” In These Times. Dec. 13, 2016. https://inthesetimes.com/article/maine-leads-the-nation-in-campaign-finance-reform.
  3. Neumann, Dan. “21 Democrats Join House Republicans In Opposition To National Popular Vote.” Beacon. May 31, 2019. https://mainebeacon.com/21-democrats-join-house-republicans-in-opposition-to-national-popular-vote/.
  4. Kellar, Anna. “On The Road To Making Our Democracy More Democratic.” Beacon. February 14, 2018. https://mainebeacon.com/on-the-road-to-making-our-democracy-more-democratic/.
  5. “Freedom To Vote Act.” Maine Citizens For Clean Elections. Accessed April 18, 2022. https://www.mainecleanelections.org/S1.
  6. “About Democracy Maine.”  Democracy Maine. Accessed April 18, 2022. https://www.democracymaine.org/dm/about.
  7. “MCCE Staff.” Maine Citizens For Clean Elections. Accessed April 18, 2022. https://www.mainecleanelections.org/staff.
  8. “MCCE Staff.” Maine Citizens For Clean Elections. Accessed April 18, 2022. https://www.mainecleanelections.org/staff.
  9. “MCCE Staff.” Maine Citizens For Clean Elections. Accessed April 18, 2022. https://www.mainecleanelections.org/staff.
  10. “MCCE Staff.” Maine Citizens For Clean Elections. Accessed April 18, 2022. https://www.mainecleanelections.org/staff.
  11. “Our Board.” Maine Citizens For Clean Elections. Accessed April 18, 2022. https://www.mainecleanelections.org/node/2979.
  12. Maine Citizens For Clean Elections. Return of an Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/272646667/202013529349300206/full.
  13. “Maine Citizens For Clean Elections—For General Operating Support.” Hewlett Foundation. Accessed April 18, 2022. https://hewlett.org/grants/maine-citizens-for-clean-elections-for-general-operating-support/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: June - May
  • Tax Exemption Received: April 1, 2011

  • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Jun Form 990 $575,224 $417,806 $314,517 $87,189 N $575,224 $0 $0 $31,498 PDF
    2019 Jun Form 990 $358,952 $524,929 $70,692 $782 N $358,952 $0 $0 $59,371 PDF
    2018 Jun Form 990 $601,524 $439,873 $236,334 $447 N $601,524 $0 $0 $71,540 PDF
    2017 Jun Form 990 $223,355 $262,058 $74,236 $0 N $223,355 $0 $0 $54,315
    2016 Jun Form 990 $518,164 $484,280 $113,680 $741 N $518,164 $0 $0 $39,832 PDF
    2015 Jun Form 990 $275,011 $218,131 $82,704 $3,649 N $275,011 $0 $0 $30,357 PDF
    2014 Jun Form 990 $230,999 $291,083 $22,175 $0 N $230,999 $0 $0 $54,434 PDF
    2013 Jun Form 990 $167,362 $217,107 $82,259 $0 N $167,362 $0 $0 $52,548 PDF
    2012 Jun Form 990 $247,799 $150,391 $132,004 $0 N $247,799 $0 $0 $44,896 PDF
    2011 Jun Form 990EZ $174,150 $169,143 $34,596 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Maine Citizens For Clean Elections

    PO BOX 18187
    Portland, ME 04112-8187