Campaign finance requirements for Maine ballot measures
 in Maine |
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Groups and individuals involved in ballot measure campaigns in Maine 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 Maine, most groups involved in ballot measure campaigns register as political action committees; select groups that intend to influence the outcome of a ballot measure register as ballot question committees. Both types of committees can receive unlimited contributions. |
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.
Maine 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 Maine, ballot measures come in the following forms:
- indirect initiated state statutes
- veto referenda
- legislatively referred constitutional amendments
- bonding propositions
- legislatively referred state statutes
Organizational requirements
According to the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, "most organizations that raise or spend money to initiate or influence a statewide ballot question in Maine form a political action committee for that purpose. ... Some advocacy, charitable or other organizations do not qualify as PACs under the election law, but they are interested in raising and spending money to influence a ballot question." These organizations are considered ballot question committees.[3]
A political action committee must register with the state ethics commission within seven days of exceeding $1,500 in contributions or expenditures. This registration form must be accompanied by an initial campaign finance report. Ballot question committees must meet the same filing requirements, though the threshold is raised to $5,000.[3][4]
See form: Political Action Committee Registration Form
See form: Ballot Question Committee Registration Form
Contribution limits
According to the state ethics commission, "there is no limitation on the amount of money a contributor may give to a political action committee." Similarly, there are no contribution limits for ballot question committees.[3][5]
Reporting requirements
Political action and ballot question committees must file a series of campaign finance reports "must include all contributions received and expenditures made for the purpose of influencing an election in Maine." These reports include the following:[6][7]
- an initial report, which is filed with the committee's registration
- quarterly reports in April, July, October and January (each report covers financial activity occurring preceding three-month period)
During years in which there is a ballot measure on the ballot, a committee must file two additional reports: an 11-day pre-election report and a 42-day post-election report.[6][7]
For contributions exceeding $50, a committee must report the name and address of the donor. Likewise, for expenditures exceeding $50, a committee must report the name and address of the recipient.[8]
In the 13-day period preceding an election, "any single contribution of $5,000 or more" or "any single expenditure of $1,000 or more" must be reported within 24 hours of receiving the contribution or making the expenditure.[6][7]
Year-specific reporting dates
2021
The table below lists relevant campaign finance report filing deadlines in Maine in 2021.
| Campaign finance reporting deadlines in Maine, 2021 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Report | Reporting period | Filing deadline |
| April quarterly report | January 1, 2021 – March 31, 2021 | April 12, 2021 |
| July quarterly report | April 1, 2021 – June 30, 2021 | July 15, 2021 |
| October quarterly report | July 1, 2021 – September 30, 2021 | October 5, 2021 |
| January quarterly report | October 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021 | January 18, 2021 |
| Source: Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, "2021 Filing Schedule," accessed July 11, 2021 | ||
2015
The table below lists relevant campaign finance report filing deadlines in Maine in 2015.[7]
| Campaign finance reporting deadlines in Maine, 2015 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Report | Reporting period | Filing deadline |
| April quarterly report | January 1, 2015 - March 31, 2015 | April 10, 2015 |
| July quarterly report | April 1, 2015 - June 30, 2015 | July 15, 2015 |
| October quarterly report | July 1, 2015 - September 30, 2015 | October 5, 2015 |
| 11-day pre-election report | October 1, 2015 - October 20, 2015 | October 23, 2015 |
| 42-day post-election report | 13 days prior to Election Day - 35 days after Election Day | December 15, 2015 |
| January quarterly report | October 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015 | January 15, 2016 |
| Source: Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, "2015 Filing Schedule for All Political Action, Ballot Question and State Party Committees," accessed December 4, 2015 | ||
State agencies
- See also: Campaign finance agencies in Maine
In Maine, there is one primary agency involved in campaign finance regulation: the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices. The commission administers Maine's campaign finance laws.[9]
- Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices
- 135 State House Station
- Augusta, Maine 04333
- Telephone: (207) 287-4179
- Fax: (207) 287-6775
- Email: ethics@maine.gov
Campaign finance legislation
The following is a list of recent campaign finance bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Maine 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 Maine campaign finance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Campaign finance requirements in Maine
- Campaign finance agencies in Maine
- List of Maine ballot measures
External links
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 Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, "Guidance on Reporting as a Ballot Question Committee (effective June 30, 2008)," accessed December 4, 2015
- ↑ Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, "Registration of Political Action Committees," accessed December 4, 2015
- ↑ Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, "Contributions and Expenditures," accessed December 4, 2015
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, "Campaign Finance Reporting by Political Action Committees," accessed December 4, 2015
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, "2015 Filing Schedule for All Political Action, Ballot Question and State Party Committees," accessed December 4, 2015
- ↑ Institute for Justice, "Campaign Finance Red Tape: Strangling Free Speech and Political Debate," October 2007
- ↑ Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, "About the Ethics Commission," accessed August 5, 2015
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