Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack says it’s time to think about another way of financing presidential campaigns.

Vilsack was the keynote speaker during a weekend forum at Drake University’s Law School. Vilsack told the crowd that under the current system, presidential candidates must depend on "about 1500 to 2000 people who have the capacity to bundle" campaign donations. Those are the people who know people — and who are key to a candidate raising the kind of cash necessary for a run for the White House.

Vilsack himself dropped out of the presidential race in February, citing an inability to raise enough money.

Vilsack told the weekend crowd at Drake that if voters want "competitive elections" then it’s time to consider taxpayer-financed campaigns.