Campaign finance requirements for Pennsylvania ballot measures
 in Pennsylvania |
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Groups and individuals involved in ballot measure campaigns in Pennsylvania 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]
| Pennsylvania defines any group that spends money or receives contributions in support of or opposition to a ballot measure as a political committee. Individuals can make unlimited contributions to political 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.
Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania, ballot measures come in only one form: legislatively referred constitutional amendments.
Organizational requirements
Pennsylvania defines any group that spends money or receives contributions in support of or opposition to a ballot measure as a political committee. Groups that receive more than $250 in aggregate contributions must file a statement of organization with the secretary of state within 20 days. This statement must name the chair and treasurer of the committee.[3][4]
A political committee may file a termination report when there is a zero balance and no unpaid debts or obligations. Surplus funds may be returned to the donors.[5]
See form: Political Committee Registration Statement
Contribution limits
Pennsylvania does not have a contribution limit for individual donors. Cash contributions to political committees are limited to $100. While corporations are forbidden from donating to candidates, there is no restriction on donating to political committees that support or oppose ballot measures. Pennsylvania law forbids anonymous contributions, and any anonymous contribution received must be returned to the Pennsylvania Treasurer within 20 days.[6][7]
Reporting requirements
After reaching a $250 expenditure threshold, political committees must file regular financial reports. All political committees must file four reports annually.[8]
- Sixth Tuesday pre-election: This report covers all campaign finance activity for the period beginning when a ballot measure first qualifies until the seventh Monday before the election. The report is due the sixth Monday before the election.
- Second Friday pre-election: This report covers all campaign finance activity for the period beginning the day after the sixth Tuesday reporting period until the second Monday before the election. The report is due the second Friday before the election.
- 30-day post-election: This report covers all campaign finance activity for the period beginning the day after the second Friday reporting period until 20 days after the election. The report is due 30 days after the election.
- Annual report: This cumulative report that covers all campaign finance activity from January 1 to December 31 in a calendar year. The report is due on January 31 of the following year.
For all contributions exceeding $250 during a reporting period, a committee must report the name, address, occupation and employer of the donor. For all expenditures, regardless of the amount, a committee must report the name and address of the recipient, as well as the purpose of the expenditure.[9]
Year-specific reporting dates
2021
The table below lists relevant campaign finance report filing deadlines in Pennsylvania in 2021.
| Campaign finance reporting deadlines in Pennsylvania, 2021 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Report | Reporting period | Filing deadline |
| Pre-primary report | Date of ballot measure qualification – March 29, 2021 | April 6, 2021 |
| Pre-primary report | March 30, 2021 – May 3, 2021 | May 7, 2021 |
| Daily Reporting | May 4, 2021 – May 18, 2021 | Per diem |
| Post-primary report | May 4, 2021 – June 7, 2021 | June 17, 2021 |
| Pre-election report | June 8, 2021 – September 13, 2021 | September 21, 2021 |
| Pre-election report | September 14, 2021 – October 18, 2021 | October 22, 2021 |
| Daily Reporting | October 19, 2021 – November 2, 2021 | Per diem |
| Post-election report | October 19, 2021 – November 22, 2021 | December 1, 2021 |
| Annual report | January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021 | January 31, 2022 |
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State, "2021 Campaign Finance Report Filing Dates," accessed July 12, 2021 | ||
2015
The table below lists relevant campaign finance report filing deadlines in Pennsylvania in 2015.
| Campaign finance reporting deadlines in Pennsylvania, 2015 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Report | Reporting period | Filing deadline |
| Sixth Tuesday pre-election | Date of ballot measure qualification - September 14, 2015 | September 22, 2015 |
| Second Friday pre-election | September 15,2015 - October 19, 2015 | October 23, 2015 |
| 30-day post-election | October 20, 2015 - November 23, 2015 | December 3, 2015 |
| Annual report | January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015 | February 1, 2016 |
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State, "2015 Campaign Finance Report Filing Dates," accessed December 8, 2015 | ||
State agencies
In Pennsylvania, there are two primary agencies involved in campaign finance regulation: the Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth and the Pennsylvania Attorney General. The former oversees all administrative and reporting functions, and the latter enforces campaign finance law.
Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth, Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation
- 201 North Office Building, 401 North Street
- Harrisburg, PA 17120
- Telephone: (717) 787-5280
- Fax: (717) 705-0721
- Email: RA-BCEL@pa.gov
Pennsylvania Attorney General
- Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- 16th Floor, Strawberry Square
- Harrisburg, PA 17120
- Telephone: (717) 787-3391
- Fax: (717) 787-8242
Campaign finance legislation
The following is a list of recent campaign finance bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania campaign finance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Campaign finance requirements in Pennsylvania
- Campaign finance agencies in Pennsylvania
- List of Pennsylvania ballot measures
External links
- Pennsylvania Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation
- Pennsylvania Attorney General
- Pennsylvania campaign finance reports
Footnotes
- ↑ Institute for Free Speech, "Money in Politics," accessed September 4, 2017
- ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "Money in Politics," accessed September 4, 2017
- ↑ Westlaw, "§ 3241. Definitions," accessed December 8, 2015
- ↑ Westlaw, "§ 3244. Registration," accessed December 8, 2015
- ↑ Westlaw, "§ 3250. Residual funds," accessed December 8, 2015
- ↑ Westlaw, "§ 3254. Contributions by agents; anonymous contributions; cash contributions," accessed December 8, 2015
- ↑ Westlaw, "§ 3543. Contributions by corporations or unincorporated associations," accessed December 8, 2015
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2015 Campaign Finance Report Filing Dates," accessed December 8, 2015
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Campaign Finance Frequently Asked Questions," accessed December 16, 2015
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