New York State's new public campaign financing system aims to level playing field

A new mechanism to allow candidates to obtain public funds for campaigns has the potential to make some state legislative races on Long Island more competitive than in the past.

Some state Senate underdogs — such as Sarah Anker in Suffolk County and Kim Keiserman in Nassau County — have received hundreds of thousands of dollars, which makes them different from underfunded challengers in the past, although their rivals also have qualified for lots of aid.

Some Assembly races in Nassau feature incumbents and challengers receiving upward of six figures to use for their campaigns.

A major rationale for creating a public financing system was to make state legislative elections more competitive and limit the influence of big donors by allowing candidates to qualify for matching funds.

This fall will be the first test.

Under the new program, a candidate can get public matching funds for contributions from $5 to $250 — in aggregate — from a resident in the district the candidate seeks to represent, according to the state Board of Elections. About $100 million has been earmarked to fund the program.

Heading into the final weeks before Election Day, hundreds of candidates in the 213 state legislative races have qualified for the public grants.

“The universe of candidates who have chosen to participate are those who are committed to the idea of public financing and those who think it makes strategic sense,” said Blair Horner, executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group.

Some of the big recipients are on Long Island.

State Senate

Keiserman appears to lead the list, qualifying for $632,000, according to state Board of Elections data. She is taking on Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola), who himself has qualified for $360,000.

Martins has been a fixture in Nassau politics for years and has the advantage of name recognition and incumbency. But it is possible the matching grants could help Keiserman in a district that has flipped from party to party over the years.

“It’s a tremendous help, no question,” Jay Jacobs, chairman of both the state and Nassau County Democratic committees. “I think we have a shot. Look, it’s an uphill race against an incumbent, but [Keiserman] now has decent funding and the public will get to hear both sides of the argument.”

A Republican source familiar with the new system said it, anecdotally, is having an impact on challengers trying to make races more competitive. Beyond individual contests, a leading GOP senator said there will be many questions to answer following the first round of campaigns under the new system.

“Does voter turnout increase? Are there more competitive races? And is big money taken out of elections or is more just infused?”  said Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk). “These questions and more should be answered before another taxpayer investment is made for political campaigns.”

Besides the matching funds, each candidate is being aided by state political campaign committees, which likely will make it one of the most expensive races in the State Senate.

Recent filings showed the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee has spent $204,000 on Keiserman’s race and directly transferred another $176,000 to her individual Senate campaign committee.

The Senate Republican Campaign Committee has spent $129,000 helping Martins.

In the 1st Senate District at the East End of Suffolk, Anker, a former Brookhaven official, has qualified for $375,000 in matching funds, according to state Board of Elections data. She’s facing Palumbo, who has qualified for $151,000.

Further, the DSCC has spent $328,000 on Anker’s behalf and transferred another $36,000 to her individual committee. The SRCC has spent $25,000 helping Palumbo.

In the 2nd Senate District, Democrat Craig Herskowitz has qualified for $111,000 in his bid to unseat Sen. Mario Mattera (R-St. James), who has not participated in the public matching grants.

State Assembly

Though the money numbers aren’t as big as the Senate, a handful of Assembly contests feature candidates getting significant help from public financing.

In what some say is the highest-profile contest, Assemb. Brian Curran (R-Lynbrook) is facing Democrat Judy Griffin of Rockville Centre for the third time — each has one victory — and both are relying on the new program.

Curran has qualified for $128,000 in public funding; Griffin, $100,000.

In the 4th Assembly District in Suffolk, challenger Rebecca Kassay has qualified for $251,000 in matching funds compared with $84,000 for incumbent Assemb. Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson). Democrats had long held the seat until Flood won in an upset in 2022.

In the Oyster Bay-based 15th district, Assemb. Jake Blumencranz (R-Oyster Bay) has qualified for $146,000 in funds, while Democrat William Murphy has qualified for $96,000. Republicans long have held the district.

In southwest Nassau, Assemb. Ari Brown (R-Cedarhurst) has been approved for $75,000, and Democrat Tina Posterli qualified for $85,000.

Finally, in the battle to replace retiring Assemb. Fred Thiele (D-Sag Harbor), Republican Stephen Kiely has qualified for $34,000, well behind Democrat Tommy John Schiavoni's, $157,000.

By Yancey Roy

yancey.roy@newsday.com@yanceyroy