CETex was formed at a time when Americans were taking notice of the egregious amounts of money necessary to win elected office and the outsized influence large donors enjoy over government as a result. The campaign finance reform landscape, established in the wake of Watergate, had been weakened over time, culminating with the Citizens United Supreme Court decision in 2010. Seeking solutions and having learned about successful public financing systems in other states, CETex was founded with a strong focus on state-level public financing of campaigns, other avenues of campaign finance reform, and engaging with candidates and elected officials on these issues.

During the 2020 presidential election, our democratic institutions faced alarming and unprecedented challenges. Attempts to discredit and diminish voting systems, election workers, and diverse voters have become commonplace. CETex sees a basic and urgent need to join efforts to make our elections more fair and accessible while growing the electorate through education, voter registration, and robust election laws.