Clean Elections v. Hon. brain/bennett

Summary

The court held that the Citizens Clean Elections Act establishes a formula under which nonparticipating candidates may accept contributions up to 80 percent of the limits specified in the referenced campaign-finance statute, as those limits are amended and adjusted. Although the statutory language is ambiguous, the use of a percentage, the treatment of inflation adjustments, the avoidance of anomalous disparities, and the ballot materials most reasonably support a formula rather than limits fixed at 1998 amounts. The court vacated the contrary appellate decision and affirmed denial of a preliminary injunction.