In exit polls after the 2006 elections, when asked which issue was extremely important to their vote, more voters said "corruption and ethics in government" than any other issue. There is growing evidence that our elected officials are beholden to the wishes of wealthy special interest groups and the needs of average citizens are no longer a priority.

The U.S. Senate has introduced a bipartisan Fair Elections Now Act that would create a voluntary system of public funding for Senate candidates. The option of public funding would give our elected officials the chance to run a competitive campaign without the strings associated with accepting millions of dollars from special interest groups. I urge Sens. Evan Bayh and Richard Lugar to support this bill and take an important first step in returning power to the average citizen.

The same principles that are outlined by the Fair Elections Now Act apply to state and local government as well. A coalition of concerned citizens has started to examine the possibility of fair elections in Indiana. Please visit www.indianacleanelections.org to learn how you can make a difference.

Nathan Compton
Indianapolis