Campaign finance requirements for South Carolina ballot measures
 in South Carolina |
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Groups and individuals involved in ballot measure campaigns in South Carolina 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 South Carolina, groups and organizations supporting or opposing a ballot measure must register as ballot measure committees. Committees may make contributions of up to $3,500. |
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.
South Carolina 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 South Carolina, ballot measures come in only one form: legislatively referred constitutional amendments.
Organizational requirements
In South Carolina, a group intending to influence the outcome of a ballot measure must organize as a ballot measure committee. South Carolina defines a ballot measure committee as "an association, club, an organization, or a group of persons which, to influence the outcome of a ballot measure, receives contributions or makes expenditures in excess of $2,500 in the aggregate during an election cycle."[3][4]
Ballot measure committees must have a chairperson and treasurer. Committees must file a statement of organization no later than five days after making an expenditure.[5]
Contribution limits
According to the South Carolina Ethics Commission, no individual or group may contribute more than $3,500 total to a committee in a calendar year. South Carolina bans all anonymous contributions made to ballot issue committees, and all anonymous contributions must be returned within seven days to the South Carolina Children's Trust Fund. Ballot measure committees are limited to accepting cash contributions of no more than $25. Additionally, in South Carolina, it is unlawful for "a corporation or committee of a corporation to solicit contributions to the corporation or committee from a person other than its shareholders, directors, executive or administrative personnel, and their families."[6][7]
Reporting requirements
South Carolina requires ballot measure committees to file reports quarterly. According to the South Carolina Ethics Commission, "campaign reports must be filed within ten days following the end of each calendar quarter in which contributions are received or expenditures are made, whether before or after an election until the campaign account undergoes final disbursement."[8]
Additionally, at least fifteen days before a ballot measure election, "a certified campaign report must be filed showing contributions of more than $100 and expenditures to or by the ballot measure committee for the period ending twenty days before the ballot measure election."[9]
A ballot measure committee that has chosen to dissolve must file a final report before or at the type of a scheduled report. This form must include the list of all material assets worth more than $100.[10]
Year-specific reporting dates
2015
The table below lists relevant campaign finance report filing deadlines in South Carolina in 2015.[11]
| Campaign finance reporting deadlines in South Carolina, 2015 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Report | Reporting period | Filing deadline |
| Quarterly campaign disclosure form | October 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014 | January 10, 2015 |
| Quarterly campaign disclosure form | January 1, 2015 - March 31, 2015 | April 10, 2015 |
| Quarterly campaign disclosure form | April 1, 2015 - June 30, 2015 | July 10, 2015 |
| Quarterly campaign disclosure form | July 1, 2015 - September 30, 2015 | October 10, 2015 |
| Pre-election campaign disclosure form | July 1, 2015 - October 14, 2015 | October 19, 2015 |
| Source: South Carolina Ethics Commission, "Calendar," accessed November 23, 2015 | ||
State agencies
In South Carolina, there is one primary agency involved in campaign finance regulation.
South Carolina State Ethics Commission
- 5000 Thurmond Mall, Suite 250
- Columbia, South Carolina 29201
- Telephone: (803) 253-4192
- Fax: (803) 253-7539
Campaign finance legislation
The following is a list of recent campaign finance bills that have been introduced in or passed by the South Carolina 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 South Carolina campaign finance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Campaign finance requirements in South Carolina
- Campaign finance agencies in South Carolina
- List of South Carolina 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
- ↑ South Carolina Ethics Commission, "Campaign Practice Laws and Penalties Section 8-13-1314," accessed November 23, 2015
- ↑ South Carolina Ethics Commission, "Campaign Practice Laws and Penalties Section 8-13-1300(32)," accessed November 23, 2015
- ↑ South Carolina Ethics Commission, "Campaign Practice Laws and Penalties Section 8-13-1304," accessed November 23, 2015
- ↑ South Carolina Ethics Commission, "Campaign Practice Laws and Penalties Section 8-13-1322," accessed November 23, 2015
- ↑ South Carolina Ethics Commission, "Campaign Practice Laws and Penalties Section 8-13-1324," accessed November 23, 2015
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbmc - ↑ South Carolina Ethics Commission, "Campaign Practice Laws and Penalties Section 8-13-1308," accessed November 23, 2015
- ↑ South Carolina Ethics Commission, "Campaign Practice Laws and Penalties Section 8-13-1368," accessed November 23, 2015
- ↑ South Carolina Ethics Commission, "Calendar," accessed November 23, 2015
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