Public financing candidates win NC city election

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Two winning candidates who participated in a North Carolina city's new voluntary public financing program say it helped them take their focus off money and put it on issues.

Unofficial results show Mark Kleinschmidt narrowly winning Tuesday's mayoral election in Chapel Hill and Penny Rich as the leading vote-getter for the Town Council.

The election marked the first time a municipality used public financing through a law approved by the Legislature. The candidates received public fundsif they agreed to fundraising limits.

Kleinschmidt said in a news release from Common Cause North Carolina the program made him get his message out early to voters. He narrowly defeated Matt Czajkowski (chi-KOF'-skee), who didn't participate in the program.

Public financing is already available for candidates for appellate judgeships and three Council of State seats.

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Nov 04, 2009 - 5:20 p.m. EDT

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