Though Maine voters enacted the 1996 Maine Clean Elections law requiring the state to transfer $2 million to that fund on Jan. 1 each year and an additional $1 million beginning this year, the program has been shortchanged $6 million thanks to insufficient funding and diversion of funds.

Lawmakers must rectify that shortfall and refrain from diverting or failing to appropriate funds for this voter-approved program in the future. Voters have repeatedly supported clean elections and will again come to Augusta in person on April 6. I hope others will join me to defend a system that allows Maine legislators to be beholden to their constituents, rather than outside interests, on all the legislation they consider.

Henry Hamilton, Otisfield