North Carolina's Campaign Reporting Act applies to all
candidates for public office, to all political
party
groups and to every person or group participating in
activities that support or oppose the
nomination or
election of one or more clearly defined candidates, or a
political party or a referendum. |
Contributions
to candidates, political parties, or political action
committees may be received from:
-
Known individuals
from their personal funds
-
Registered political
committees (which may only receive contributions from
individuals from personal funds)
-
From
not-for-profit entities promoting social, educational, or
political ideas and meeting other specific criteria.
-
Contributions received by a committee by an
individual in excess of $50.00 in one
election cycle requires full disclosure of
the contributors information (name, address,
job title, etc.)
|
|
Campaign,
political party and other political and referendum
committees must register at either the State Board of
Elections or the County Board of Elections and file
financial disclosure reports. Other entities must
disclose contributions or independent expenditures in
excess of $100.00 by filing a statement at the
appropriate Board of Elections. |
|
Candidate
campaign and political party committees may certify that
they do not intend to receive or expend more than
$3,000.00 and be exempt from filing disclosure reports.
Certifying under a $3,000.00 threshold indicates that the
campaign or political party committee intends to receive
or spend no more than $3,000.00. The certification is for
an election cycle - year(s) preceding the election year
and the election year. |
|
Independent
expenditures - made without consultation or coordination
with a candidate or the candidates agent - to support or
oppose the nomination or election of one or more clearly
identified candidates are permitted. |
|
Independent
expenditures by an individual or other entity not
otherwise required to report them must disclose such
expenditures in excess of one hundred dollars ($100.00).
A statement showing the expenditure is filed at the
appropriate board of elections in the form required by
the State Board of Elections. The statement must identify
donation of more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) to
the filing entity if the donations were to further the
independent expenditure. |
|
The Act
does not facilitate "Pass the Hat" contributions because
it specifically prohibits anonymous contributions and
requires that any anonymous contributions and
contributions made in the name of another received by a
candidate or committee shall be forwarded to the State
Board of Elections for deposit in the general fund of the
State. |
Each
political advertisement placed in any
"media" must bear a
"legend" that states who paid for
the ad and
whether or not it is in support of or in opposition to a
candidate or a ballot issue and must
be paid for by
check. |
|
Opposition
print advertisements by a political party or political
committee which identify a candidate that the party or
committee is opposing must indicate in type no smaller
than 12 point the name of the political party or
political committee and the name of the candidates, if
any, that are intended to benefit from the printed
matter. |
|
A media
broadcasting or publishing advertisement must have a
signed authorization for the advertisement that is
available for public viewing during regular business
hours. |
Each
candidate, political committee or referendum committee
must retain account records for
2 years after the
election. |
Committees
continue to file reports according to the election
schedule until all funds are disbursed,
all loans repaid
or reported forgiven, and the committee bank account
closed, at which time a Final
Report is filed. The
designation "Final" may be
indicated on any scheduled report, or an additional
report may be filed voluntarily.
|
Referendum
committees receiving any contribution from a corporation,
labor union, insurance company, business entity, or
professional association may not make any contribution to a candidate
or to a
political committee. |
"Stand by Your Ad"
places new requirements for TV and radio ads and if not
met permits civil
actions and monetary awards. |
|
Prosecution
and civil action are barred if the committee or entity
complies with the opinion of the Executive
Secretary-Director of the State Board of Elections. |
For additional
information concerning the Campaign Reporting Act, types of
committees, reporting schedules, procedures and reports, contact
the Moore County Board of Elections or visit the
NC
State Board of Elections website. |
Campaign Reporting Basic
Requirements:
