Campaign finance requirements for California ballot measures
 in California |
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Groups and individuals involved in ballot measure campaigns in California must adhere to the state's campaign finance laws. These laws regulate the amounts and sources of money given or received for political purposes; in addition, campaign finance laws stipulate disclosure requirements for political contributions and expenditures.
Proponents of more stringent regulations and disclosure requirements, such as the Brennan Center for Justice, claim that current laws do not go far enough to mitigate corruption and the influence of undisclosed special interests. Others, such as the Institute for Free Speech, argue that strict disclosure requirements and contribution limits impinge upon the rights to privacy and free expression.[1][2]
| In California, ballot measure committees supporting or opposing a ballot measure must register with the Political Reform Division. Generally speaking, ballot measure committees are not subject to contribution limits, though exceptions apply to candidate-controlled committees. |
The laws and regulations that apply to ballot measure campaigns may differ from those that apply to candidates for political office. To learn more about campaign finance requirements for candidates, see this article.
California ballot measures
- See also: Ballot measure
A ballot measure is any question or issue that appears on an election ballot to be approved or rejected by voters. In 26 states, plus Washington, D.C., citizens may use the initiative and referendum process, which permits citizens to petition to place measures on the ballot and usually involves a signature collection process of some kind. Even in states without initiative and referendum processes, however, ballot measures exist. In all states, citizens may be asked to approve legislatively referred constitutional amendments, state statutes, bond issues or tax proposals.
In California, ballot measures come in the following forms:
- initiated constitutional amendments
- initiated state statutes
- legislatively referred constitutional amendments
- legislatively referred state statutes
- referred bond propositions
- veto referenda
- recalls of (non-federal) statewide officials
Organizational requirements
In California, a ballot measure committee is defined as "any person or group receiving contributions of $1,000 or more in a calendar year for the qualification, passage or defeat or a ballot measure or ballot measures." There are two basic types of ballot measure committees: "primarily formed" and "general purpose." A "primarily formed" committee meets one of the following criteria:[3][4]
- "The committee is created for the purpose of running the principal campaign for or against a single measure or two or more measures being voted on in the same election."
- "The committee’s primary purpose and activities are to support or oppose a single measure or two or more measures being voted on in the same election."
- "The committee makes more than 70 percent of its total contributions and expenditures to support or oppose a single measure or two or more measures being voted on in the same election."
By contrast, a "general purpose" committee "is formed to support or oppose ballot measures in more than one election or in more than one jurisdiction." Each type of committee must file a statement of organization form with the Political Reform Division within 10 days of qualifying as a committee.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag[5]
See form: Form 410, Statement of Organization
Contribution limits
In California, ballot measure committees are generally not required to adhere to contribution limits. If a ballot measure committee is controlled by a candidate for elected office, the committee's funds cannot be used for that candidate's election. Contributions between two candidate-controlled ballot measure committees are subject to contribution limits.[3]
Reporting requirements
Ballot measure committees in California are required to file semi-annual, quarterly, and pre-election disclosure reports with the Political Reform Division. These reports provide "the public with an overview of the committee's activity, including money coming in and money going out, during a specific reporting period established by law."Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag[6]
- Quarterly statements: "Committees primarily formed to support the qualification, passage or defeat of a measure are required to file quarterly ballot measure statements before the election. However, quarterly statements are not required during any semi-annual period in which the committee is required to file pre-election statements. Following the election, such committees are only required to file semi-annual statements unless they make contributions or expenditures to qualify, support or oppose other similar measures, in which case they would have an ongoing duty to file quarterly statements."
- Pre-election statements: "Pre-election statements are required to be filed during the six-month period when the measure is on the ballot."
- Semi-annual statements: "Semi-annual statements are required to be filed for each half of every year, regardless of the amount or level of activity. The closing dates for such semi-annual statements are June 30 (due July 31) and December 31 (due January 31)."
For all contributions, regardless of the amount, a committee must report the name and address of the donor. For contributions exceeding $100, a committee must also report the employer/occupation of the donor. For all expenditures exceeding $100, a committee must report the name and address of the recipient.[7]
Ballot measure committees that receive certain kinds of large contributions must file special disclosure reports.[3][4]
- If a committee receives a contribution of $5,000 or more "at any time other than during an election cycle," the contribution must be reported within 10 days of receipt.
- If a committee receives a contribution of $1,000 or more in the 90-day period leading up to an election, the contribution must be reported within 24 hours.
Year-specific reporting dates
2021–2022
The table below lists relevant campaign finance report filing deadlines in California in 2021 and 2022.
| Campaign finance reporting deadlines in California, 2021, 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Report | Reporting period | Filing deadline |
| Semi-annual report | January 1, 2021 – June 30, 2021 | August 2, 2021 |
| Quarterly report | July 1, 2021 – September 30, 2021 | November 1, 2021 |
| Semi-annual report | July 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021 | January 31, 2022 |
| Pre-election report | January 1, 2022 – April 23, 2022 | April 28, 2022 |
| Pre-election report | April 24, 2022 – May 21, 2022 | May 26, 2022 |
| Semi-annual report | May 22, 2022 – June 30, 2022 | August 1, 2022 |
| Note: Other incidental reports may be required; see "Reporting requirements" above for more information. Source: California Fair Political Practices Commission, "2021 Filing Schedule for Committees Primarily Formed to Support/Oppose State Measures," accessed July 9, 2021 California Fair Political Practices Commission, "Filing Schedule for Committees Primarily Formed to Support/Oppose State Measures Which Will be Voted Upon at the June 7, 2022 Election," accessed July 9, 2022 | ||
2016
The table below lists relevant campaign finance report filing deadlines in California in 2016.[8][9]
| Campaign finance reporting deadlines in California, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Report | Reporting period | Filing deadline |
| Semi-annual report | Period ending December 31, 2015 | February 1, 2016 |
| Pre-election report (June 7, 2016, election) | January 1, 2016-April 23, 2016 | April 28, 2016 |
| Quarterly report (November 8, 2016, election) | January 1, 2016-March 31, 2016 | April 30, 2016 |
| Pre-election report (June 7, 2016, election) | April 24, 2016-May 21, 2016 | May 26, 2016 |
| Semi-annual report | May 22, 2016-June 30, 2016 | August 1, 2016 |
| Note: Other incidental reports may be required; see "Reporting requirements" above for more information. Source: California Fair Political Practices Commission, "Filing Schedule for Committees Primarily Formed to Support/Oppose State Measures Listed on the June 7, 2016 Ballot," accessed November 20, 2015 California Fair Political Practices Commission, "Filing Schedule for Committees Primarily Formed to Support/Oppose State Measures Listed on the November 8, 2016 Ballot," accessed November 20, 2015 | ||
State agencies
- See also: Campaign finance agencies in California
In California, there are two primary agencies involved in campaign finance regulation: the California Fair Political Practices Commission and the Political Reform Division of the Office of the California Secretary of State. The former adopts regulations pertaining to campaign finance disclosure and imposes penalties against individuals and committees that violate the law. The latter receives and processes campaign finance reports.[10][11]
- California Fair Political Practices Commission
- 428 J Street, Suite 620
- Sacramento, California 95814
- Telephone: (916) 322-5660
- Email: advice@fppc.ca.gov
- Political Reform Division
- 1500 11th Street, 4th Floor, Room 495
- Sacramento, California 95814
- Telephone: 916-653–6224
- Email: Contact form
Campaign finance legislation
The following is a list of recent campaign finance bills that have been introduced in or passed by the California state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.
Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.
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Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms California campaign finance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Campaign finance requirements in California
- Campaign finance agencies in California
- List of California ballot measures
External links
Additional reading
Footnotes
- ↑ Institute for Free Speech, "Money in Politics," accessed September 4, 2017
- ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "Money in Politics," accessed September 4, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 California Fair Political Practices Commission, "Ballot Measure Committees Campaign Disclosure Manual," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 California Secretary of State, "Ballot Measure Committees: Campaign and Registration Requirements," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ California Fair Political Practices Commission, "Ballot Measure Committees Campaign Disclosure Manual," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ California Fair Political Practices Commission, "Ballot Measure Committees Campaign Disclosure Manual," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ Institute for Justice, "Campaign Finance Red Tape: Strangling Free Speech and Political Debate," October 2007
- ↑ California Fair Political Practices Commission, "Filing Schedule for Committees Primarily Formed to Support/Oppose State Measures Listed on the June 7, 2016 Ballot," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ California Fair Political Practices Commission, "Filing Schedule for Committees Primarily Formed to Support/Oppose State Measures Listed on the November 8, 2016 Ballot," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ California Fair Political Practices Commission, "About the FPPC," accessed July 28, 2015
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Political Reform Division," accessed July 28, 2015
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