The Role of the Independent Voter and Dark Money in Elections

O’Connor Institute collaborated with NPR local affiliate KJZZ to present this 2014 election season Issues & Answers Forum to a full house.
Panelists included:

  • Chris Herstam, head of Government Relations for Lewis, Roca & Rothgerber, a former Legislator, gubernatorial Chief of Staff and Board of Regents President
  • Joe Kanefield, Elections Attorney at Ballard Spahr and former State Election Director and In-House Legal Counsel for the State of Arizona
  • Karen Osborne, Maricopa County Director of Elections and former Assistant Arizona Secretary of State
  • Tom Ryan, Attorney, “Dark Money” Opponent, and President-Elect of the Arizona Trial Lawyers Association

Moderator for the Forum was Steve Goldstein of KJZZ, who included several questions from the audience.

Among the more controversial issues covered was the so-called “Dark Money” and the U.S. Supreme Court's lift on federal spending limits, as well as the Arizona Supreme Court's opinion that could diminish the role of the Arizona's Clean Elections Law in campaigns. The importance of the Primary Election, low voter turn-out, and the growing number of registered Independents also sparked engaging and respectful discussion.

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was in attendance, along with a 50-student delegation from the Junior State of America, whose purpose is to strengthen American democracy by educating and preparing high school students for life-long involvement and responsible leadership in a democratic society.

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