Today's Poll: Should state office elections in New York be publicly financed?

If not, then the cost of running, for example Governor, would only be for the richest. In many areas, they would not have any voting for State office at all since nobody could afford to run it

Not only state, should also be at the federal level. Public financing and a short window of campaigning; not start the re-election process as soon as you win.

My question for the ones that voted "No", is how would you pay for a State wide election, like for Governor?

Howard, I guess I misunderstood the question. I thought it was who would pay to run the elections (polling places, voting machines and the like). Some have suggested that in Primary elections, the political parties involved should pay the cost.

I totally understood it, and stand by what I say. People, corporations, organizations...NONE should give money to candidates. And start the 2020 president election in September, 2020, instead of this coming September.

Let me start by saying that my comments are in no way a shot at Mr. Owens or the Batavian, neither of which seem to benefit. Ask yourself; who stands to benefit the most under the current way we finance elections? Answer: the media. Every 4 years, on the national level, there is a tidal wave of cash that pours into media outlets, mostly broadcast, but print as well, and to a smaller but increasing amount, online. We don't necessarily see this in NY because the Democrats presume they have a lock on NY politics and the Republicans think trying to turn NY is a waste of money for the same reason. So neither party spends much on broadcast ads in NY. Take a trip outside of NY, say to Ohio, during election season and you won't believe the deluge of political TV and radio ads you see and hear. Public financing of elecions on the national and state levels would, of necessity, restrict spending and let's see who howls the loudest. Remember, a liberal is someone who self interest is not threatened at the moment.

Don - you had me agreeing with you until that asinine last statement.

How would you like me to finish my comment with "a conservative is someone whose teenage daughter has not yet gotten knocked up" or some other gross (and erroneous) generalization? These declarations add nothing to the conversation - especially when you were on a roll.