APPENDIX K: Examples of required publication of information
Examples of campaign finance reporting requirements
San Jose California
http://www.ci.san-jose.ca.us/cty_clk/SJMC_12_06.html
12.06.920 Duties of the City Clerk
A. The City Clerk shall, five (5) days prior to the election, prepare a report to be published in the San Jose Mercury News. The report shall contain the total contributions and expenditures for each of the candidates and for each independent committee. The Clerk shall cause the report to be published two (2) days prior to the election.
B. In the event the City Clerk has reason to believe a late contribution has not been reported, the Clerk shall notify the Ethics Board.
Richland, Washington
City Ordinance
Monitoring of Campaign Expenditures. The Richland City clerk shall be responsible for monitoring expenditures by candidates and shall follow the procedure below:
(1) All candidates for the Richland city council shall file copies of their financial reports with the Richland city clerk at the same time they file them with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission and the Benton County Auditor.
(2) The city clerk shall keep a running tally of each candidate's campaign expenditures, based on the campaign financial reports.
(3) When one or more candidates exceed the recommended limits, as applicable, the city clerk shall prepare an announcement of that fact as described in Section 1.01.070 that includes the name(s) and amount(s) spent on the campaign by any and all candidates whose campaign spending has exceeded the amount specified in this ordinance.
(4) Once a candidate has exceeded the limit, the city clerk shall review all candidates' to-date expenditures and reissue the announcement with applicable additions and/or changes weekly. (Ord. 2-93).
Publication. Once a candidate exceeds the recommended limits, the city clerk shall publish advertisement in a local newspaper weekly until the city council campaign has ended. This notice shall include the following information:
(1) A statement that certain candidates for city council have spent beyond the limits recommended by city ordinance.
(2) A list of all positions and respective candidates together with their respective to-date expenditures. The names of those candidates who have exceeded the recommended limits shall be highlighted with an asterisk or other symbol and an appropriate footnote shall provide the meaning of the symbol.
(3) A statement of the city council policy. If a candidate exceeds the established limit during a primary and does not qualify for the general election, his/her name and expenses need not be placed in the published notice thereafter except the post election notice described herein. If any candidate has exceeded the established limits during the campaign, the city clerk shall prepare a final updated notice similar to the others and issue it after the date on which the candidates must file their final financial reports with the public disclosure commission. The city clerk shall confirm the final amounts with the public disclosure commission prior to publication of the final notice to the public.
GENERAL PROVISIONS TITLE 1
1.01.070 Publication. Once a candidate exceeds the recommended limits, the City Clerk shall publish a display advertisement in a local newspaper weekly until the City Council campaign has ended. This notice shall include the following information:
A. A statement that certain candidates for City Council have spent beyond the limits recommended by City ordinance.
B. A list of all positions and respective candidates together with their respective to-date expenditures. The names of those candidates who have exceeded the recommended limits shall be highlighted with an asterisk or other symbol and an appropriate footnote shall provide the meaning of the symbol.
C. A statement of the City Council policy. If a candidate exceeds the established limit during a primary and does not qualify for the general election, his/her name and expenses need not be placed in the published notice thereafter except the post election notice described herein. If any candidate has exceeded the established limits during the campaign, the City Clerk shall prepare a final updated notice similar to the others and issue it after the date on which the candidates must file their final financial reports with the public disclosure commission. The City Clerk shall confirm the final amounts with the public disclosure commission prior to publication of the final notice to the public. (Ord. 2-93).
Alta, Utah
City Ordinance
WHEREAS, the Town Council finds it in the public interest that the conduct of municipal elections within the Town be regulated so the voters may determine who has contributed to candidates and what candidates have spent on races; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Each candidate for elective office shall file a signed campaign financial statement with the Town Clerk (a) seven days before the date of the general election, reporting each contribution of more than $25 and all in-kind contributions and each expenditure as of ten days before the date of the general election; and (b) no later than 30 days after the date of the general election.
Section 2. The statement filed seven days before the general election shall include a list of each contribution of more than $25 received by the candidate, all in-kind contributions, and the name and address of each donor; an aggregate total of all contributions of $25 or less and in-kind contributions received by the candidate; and a list of each expenditure of campaign contributions made during the campaign period, and the recipient of each expenditure.
Section 3. The statement filed 30 days after the general election shall include a list of each contribution of more than $25 and in-kind contributions received after the cutoff date for the statement filed seven days before the election, and the name and address of each donor; an aggregate total of all contributions of $25 or less and in-kind contributions received by the candidate after the cutoff date for the statement filed seven days before the election; and a list of all expenditures for political purposes made by the candidate after the cutoff date for the statement filed seven days before the election, and the recipient of each expenditure.
Section 4. Candidates for elective office who are eliminated at a primary election shall file a signed campaign financial statement containing the information required by this section no later than 30 days after the primary election.
Section 5. Any person who fails to comply with this section is guilty of an infraction.
Section 6. Candidates for elective office shall be given an opportunity to publicly commit to spending and contribution limitations. At the time that a person files for elective office he or she shall be provided with a form prepared by the Town Clerk.
Section 7. Said from will inquire of the candidates whether the or she is voluntarily willing to (a) limit total campaign spending to less than $500 for council positions and $1,000 for the office of the Mayor; (b) limit donations from any one donor to $200 or less; (c) refuse donations from corporations, developers, political action committees (PACs), unions and other entities which face a substantial likelihood of having matters under consideration by the Town during the upcoming four years; and (d) agree to participate in at least one debate sponsored by a neutral group prior to the election. Said from shall be returned to the Town Clerk within two weeks of the final filing date for office. In the event a candidate fails to return the form to the Town Clerk, said refusal shall constitute a refusal to abide by the above voluntary conditions. A candidate may also indicate that he or she shall agree to spend or accept less in contributions than the amounts listed herein.
Section 8. With in three weeks from the final filing date for office, the Town Clerk shall make public, by posting an announcement in three public place within the Town and by delivering a press release to local media, those candidate who have voluntarily agreed to abide by the conditions set forth in Section 7 and those who have not.