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Campaign finance requirements for Georgia ballot measures
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The Ethics Commission is the agency responsible for the administrative and technical duties involving Georgia campaign finance law. The Ethics Commission maintains a disclosure database of groups registered in opposition or support of a referendum.
If any person feels a person or committee violated Georgia Campaign Finance laws, the first step is to file a complaint with the Ethics Commission. The Commission reviews and investigates all campaign finance complaints. If probable cause is found that someone violated Georgia campaign finance laws, the Attorney General is responsible for all prosecution of complaints[1].
General requirements
Ballot committees
Any group in support or opposition of a ballot measure is considered to be a ballot committee[2].
Campaign finance requirements
Corporate contributions
All corporations and labor unions are allowed to donate to campaigns in support or opposition of a referendum. However, corporations are limited to donations to candidates, candidate committees, and state party committees[3].
Electronic reporting requirement
All ballot committees that plan to raise or spend $25,000 or more in a election must file their reports electronically[4].
Filing reports
All ballot committees must file reports if they expect to receive contributions, make expenditures of more than $100 or receive loans must file campaign finance reports[5].
Retention requirements
Georgia law requires that all ballot committees in support or opposition of a referendum must retain campaign finance records for three years[6].
Reporting requirements and reports
Georgia focuses election reporting for campaign finance on when a ballot measure is placed on the ballot. Each campaign files three pre-election reports and a post-election report. The reporting periods are the same if the ballot measure is placed on the July or November ballot[7].
Pre-Election reports
Ballot committees are required to file three pre-election reports that are due seventy-five (75), forty-five (45), and fifteen days before the election[8].
Annual report
An annual report is a cumulative report that is due on December 31st. The report serves as a post-election report and termination report[8].
Campaign advertising restrictions
Under Georgia law, all referendum campaigns must disclose the name and title of the principal campaign officer[9].
Terminating a committee
There are no statutes under the law in specific for terminating a ballot committee under Georgia law, however the annual report is considered the final report[10].
External links
- Georgia Secretary of State-Elections Division
- Georgia campaign disclosure database
- Georgia campaign finance laws
References
- ↑ Georgia Ethics Commission "Georgia Ethics in Government Act"(Referenced Statute 21-5-6(C)-(3), Georgia Code)
- ↑ Georgia Ethics Commission' " What are Other Than Candidate Committees?"(See Ballot Committee)
- ↑ Georgia Ethics Commission "Georgia Ethics in Government Act"(Referenced Statute 21-5-41(A), Georgia Code)
- ↑ Georgia Ethics Commission "Other Reports for Committees other than Candidate Committees
- ↑ Georgia Ethics Commission "Georgia Ethics in Government Act"(Referenced Statute 21-5-34(B)(1)(A)-(C), Georgia Code)
- ↑ Georgia Ethics Commission "Georgia Ethics in Government Act"(Referenced Statute 21-5-32(C), Georgia Code)
- ↑ Georgia Ethics Commission "2010 Primary Campaign Disclosure Filing Report Schedule"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Georgia Ethics Commission "2010 general Campaign Disclosure Filing Report Schedule
- ↑ Georgia Ethics Commission "Georgia Ethics in Government Act"(Referenced Statute 21-5-34(2)(A), Georgia Code)
- ↑ Georgia Ethics Commission "Georgia Ethics in Government Act(Referenced Statutes 21-5-34(h))
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