Over forty years ago, Joan Mandle, PhD, then a wide-eyed undergraduate, left her dormitory at Vassar College and headed south to participate in the Civil Rights Movement. “The experience was inspirational,” according to Mandle. Since participating the Civil Rights Movement, Professor Mandle has continued to be involved in social change movements, creating the Women’s Studies department at Colgate University and more recently acting as Executive Director of Democracy Matters, an organization that raises awareness about the corrupting influence of private money in politics and advocates publicly-financed elections. On Monday April 2^nd, Professor Mandle visited Vanderbilt to guest lecture in classrooms throughout the day, topping off her trip with a university-wide discussion in the evening. Democracy Matters’ student-run Vanderbilt chapter helped organize the events.

Professor Mandle is in the midst of a nation-wide speaking tour on behalf of Democracy Matters, teaching students how to get their voices heard and strengthen democracy. Professor Mandle got involved with Democracy Matters through her son Adonal Foyle, the organization’s founder and NBA star. “Adonal wanted to give students a voice,” Professor Mandle remarked. Adonal felt the corrupting influence of money in politics hurts the progress of other movements as well. Instead of just lamenting about a corrupt system, however, Adonal and Democracy Matters believe there is better alternative to the way elections are funded.

Democracy Matters advocates a system of publicly-financed elections called “Clean Elections” or “Fair Elections.” Under the voluntary system, candidates have the option to forgo all private donations in exchange for matching public funds. To qualify, candidates must prove their legitimacy by collecting a specified number of signatures and $5 donations. “This is not just some sociologist’s dream. The system actually works.” Mandle contended. Indeed, the Clean Election system operates in seven states—Maine, Arizona, Connecticut, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Oregon. Candidates win public funds as well, with over 80% of Maine’s state legislature and close to half of Arizona’s never taking a dime from private sources.

Mandle’s nation-wide speaking tour comes in light of recent legislation proposing Clean Elections on a Congressional level. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) have spearheaded the bipartisan Fair Elections Now Act. Senator Durbin stressed the bill’s significance, saying “In the 25 years I have been in the Senate, this is the most important piece of legislation I have worked on.” So far, no such bill has ever been introduced. The Fair Elections Now Act would launch the Clean Elections movement onto the national spotlight. “I am really excited about where Democracy Matters is headed right now,” Professor Mandle commented. In the future, Mandle sees Democracy Matters not just as a student movement but a broad coalition that heightens civic engagement among all individuals. 

Tom Byrne 

Sophomore

Campus Coordinator

Democracy Matters at Vanderbilt

Thomas.J.Byrne@Vanderbilt.Edu