10-day march seeks to change funding rules for political campaigns

CENTER CITY (WPVI) -- People gathered in the rain on Independence Mall Saturday to call for a change in the way political campaigns are funded. More specifically, to put a stop to corporate donors.

"Everybody's vote matters," said Mary Jensen, Fayetteville, New York. "We should not be run by people who have more money."

The 10-day march will end with a sit-in at the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., risking arrest while urging Congress to pass a reform bill.

"So what I think Congress has got to do right away is to change the way campaigns are funded by passing small-dollar, citizen-funded election systems,"said Lawrence Lessig, Harvard law professor. "So like vouchers, where everybody gets a voucher to fund campaigns."

Democracy Spring says it's a nonpartisan organization. But man protesters say the rise of non-establishment candidates in this election have brought the money issue to the forefront.

"Trump and Bernie Sanders, I think one of the reasons they have taken over in the way that they have is because of this specific issue," said Judy Butler, Wilmington, Delaware.

About 150 people will march the entire 140 miles to D.C.; some will only march for a day or two.

"We're going to stop off in small towns, and do rallies at night," said Mary Zeiser, Democracy Spring. "We sleep in mass housing units, a lot of churches and community centers."

Luigi Costello came up from Florida to march the whole way.

"My inspiration was to go to Washington to try to help get the money out of politics," said Costello, Sarasota, Florida.