Campaign finance requirements for Alabama ballot measures
 in Alabama |
Groups and individuals involved in ballot measure campaigns in Alabama 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 Alabama, a political action committee supporting or opposing a ballot measure must register with the Alabama Secretary of State. A committee cannot make expenditures to or accept contributions from another political action committee, a principal campaign committee or a 527 organization. |
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.
Alabama 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 Alabama, ballot measures come in only one form: legislatively referred constitutional amendments.
Organizational requirements
In Alabama, any "committee, club, association, political party, or other group of one or more persons, whether in-state or out-of-state, which receives or anticipates receiving contributions and anticipates making expenditures," in support of or in opposition to a ballot measure is considered a political action committee.[3][4]
A political action committee is required by state law to file a statement of organization within 10 days of receiving contributions or making expenditures in an aggregate amount exceeding $1,000. This form must be filed with the Alabama Secretary of State.[3][5]
See form: Statement of Organization of Political Action Committee
Contribution limits
A political action committee in Alabama cannot receive contributions from or make expenditures to another political action committee, a principal campaign committee or a 527 organization. Apart from that restriction, contribution and expenditure amounts are not limited by state law.[3][6]
Reporting requirements
A political action committee that is supporting or opposing a ballot measure in an election year must file a series of financial disclosure reports. All reports must be filed with the Alabama Secretary of State.[3][7]
- In the 12 months preceding an election, a committee must file monthly reports "if the [committee] receives contributions or makes expenditures with a view toward influencing" the outcome. These reports must be filed on the second business day of the month following the month covered in the report.
- In the four weeks preceding an election, a committee must file weekly reports every Monday.
- If, in the eight days leading up an election, a committee receives or spends a total of $5,000 on a single day, the committee must file a report on the transaction on that same day.
- If a committee receives single contribution of $20,000 or more, the committee must report the transaction within two business days "if [the transaction] is not included in a monthly, weekly, or daily report."
In order to close a committee, the committee's chairperson must file a statement of dissolution form with the secretary of state. This form must be accompanied by a termination report "showing all contributions and expenditures not previously reported and stating how any excess funds will be distributed."[3]
For all contributions exceeding $100 in the aggregate in a calendar year, a committee must report the name and address of the contributor. For all expenditures exceeding $100 in the aggregate in a calendar year, a committee must report the name and address of the recipient, as well as the purpose of the expenditure.[7]
Year-specific reporting dates
2021 – 2022
The table below lists relevant campaign finance report filing deadlines in Alabama in 2021 and 2022
| Campaign finance reporting deadlines in Alabama, 2021 – 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Report | Reporting period | Filing deadline |
| Monthly report | July 2021 | August 3, 2021 |
| Monthly report | August 2021 | September 2, 2021 |
| Monthly report | September 2021 | October 4, 2021 |
| Monthly report | October 2021 | November 2, 2021 |
| Monthly report | November 2021 | December 2, 2021 |
| Monthly report | December 2021 | January 4, 2022 |
| Annual report | 2021 | January 31, 2022 |
| Monthly report | January 2022 | February 2, 2022 |
| Monthly report | February 2022 | March 2, 2022 |
| Monthly report | March 2022 | April 4, 2022 |
| Weekly report | April 23, 2022 – April 29, 2022 | May 2, 2022 |
| Monthly report | April 2022 | May 3, 2022 |
| Weekly report | April 30, 2022 – May 6, 2022 | May 9, 2022 |
| Daily report | May 16, 2022 | May 16, 2022 |
| Weekly report | May 7, 2022 – May 13, 2022 | May 16, 2022 |
| Daily report | May 17, 2022 | May 17, 2022 |
| Daily report | May 18, 2022 | May 18, 2022 |
| Daily report | May 19, 2022 | May 19, 2022 |
| Daily report | May 20, 2022 | May 20, 2022 |
| Daily report | May 21, 2022 | May 21, 2022 |
| Daily report | May 22, 2022 | May 22, 2022 |
| Daily report | May 23, 2022 | May 23, 2022 |
| Weekly report | May 14, 2022 – May 20, 2022 | May 23, 2022 |
| Weekly report | May 21, 2022 – May 27, 2022 | May 31, 2022 |
| Monthly report | May 2022 | June 2, 2022 |
| Weekly report | May 28, 2022 – June 3, 2022 | June 7, 2022 |
| Daily report | June 13, 2022 | June 13, 2022 |
| Weekly report | June 4, 2022 – June 10, 2022 | June 13, 2022 |
| Daily report | June 14, 2022 | June 14, 2022 |
| Daily report | June 15, 2022 | June 15, 2022 |
| Daily report | June 16, 2022 | June 16, 2022 |
| Daily report | June 17, 2022 | June 17, 2022 |
| Daily report | June 18, 2022 | June 18, 2022 |
| Daily report | June 19, 2022 | June 19, 2022 |
| Daily report | June 20, 2022 | June 20, 2022 |
| Weekly report | June 11, 2022 – June 17, 2022 | June 20, 2022 |
| Monthly report | June 2022 | July 5, 2022 |
| Monthly report | July 2022 | August 2, 2022 |
| Monthly report | August 2022 | September 2, 2022 |
| Monthly report | September 2022 | October 4, 2022 |
| Weekly report | October 8, 2022 – October 14, 2022 | October 17, 2022 |
| Weekly report | October 15, 2022 – October 21, 2022 | October 24, 2022 |
| Daily report | October 31, 2022 | October 31, 2022 |
| Weekly report | October 22, 2022 – October 28, 2022 | October 31, 2022 |
| Daily report | November 1, 2022 | November 1, 2022 |
| Daily report | November 2, 2022 | November 2, 2022 |
| Daily report | November 3, 2022 | November 3, 2022 |
| Daily report | November 4, 2022 | November 4, 2022 |
| Daily report | November 5, 2022 | November 5, 2022 |
| Daily report | November 6, 2022 | November 6, 2022 |
| Daily report | November 7, 2022 | November 7, 2022 |
| Weekly report | October 29, 2022 – November 4, 2022 | November 7, 2022 |
| Source: Alabama Secretary of State, "2022 FCPA Filing Calendar," accessed July 9, 2021 | ||
2016
The table below lists relevant campaign finance report filing deadlines in Alabama in 2016.[8]
| Campaign finance reporting deadlines in Alabama, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Report | Reporting period | Filing deadline |
| Monthly report | January 2016 | February 2, 2016 |
| Monthly report | February 2016 | March 2, 2016 |
| Monthly report | March 2016 | April 4, 2016 |
| Monthly report | April 2016 | May 3, 2016 |
| Monthly report | May 2016 | June 2, 2016 |
| Monthly report | June 2016 | July 5, 2016 |
| Monthly report | July 2016 | August 2, 2016 |
| Monthly report | August 2016 | September 2, 2016 |
| Monthly report | September 2016 | October 4, 2016 |
| Weekly report | N/A | October 17, 2017 |
| Weekly report | N/A | October 24, 2016 |
| Weekly report | N/A | October 31, 2016 |
| Daily report | N/A | October 31, 2016 |
| Daily report | N/A | November 1, 2016 |
| Daily report | N/A | November 2, 2016 |
| Daily report | N/A | November 3, 2016 |
| Daily report | N/A | November 4, 2016 |
| Daily report | N/A | November 5, 2016 |
| Daily report | N/A | November 6, 2016 |
| Daily report | N/A | November 7, 2016 |
| Annual report | January 1, 2016-December 31, 2016 | January 31, 2017 |
| Source: Alabama Secretary of State, "FCPA Filing Calendar," accessed November 20, 2015 | ||
State agencies
- See also: Campaign finance agencies in Alabama
In Alabama, there are two primary agencies involved in campaign finance regulation: the Alabama Secretary of State and the Alabama Ethics Commission. The former oversees reporting requirements for candidates and political committees. The latter is authorized to investigate violations of the state's campaign finance laws. Both agencies can assess fines against candidates and committees who violate the law.[9]
- Alabama Secretary of State, Elections Division
- State Capitol Building, Suite E-208
- 600 Dexter Avenue
- Montgomery, Alabama 36103
- Telephone: 334-242-7210
- Fax: 334-242-2444
- Alabama Ethics Commission
- 100 North Union Street, Suite 104
- Montgomery, Alabama 36104
- Telephone: 334-242-2997
- Fax: 334-242-0248
- Email: info@ethics.alabama.gov
Campaign finance legislation
The following is a list of recent campaign finance bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Alabama 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 Alabama campaign finance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Campaign finance requirements in Alabama
- Campaign finance agencies in Alabama
- List of Alabama ballot measures
External links
Additional reading
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 3.3 3.4 Alabama Secretary of State, "PAC Filing Guidelines," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ Code of Alabama, "Section 17-5-2(a)(12)," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, "Statement of Organization of Political Action Committee," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ Code of Alabama, "Section 17-5-15," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Code of Alabama, "Section 17-5-8," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, "FCPA Filing Calendar," accessed November 20, 2015
- ↑ AL.com, "Alabama lawmakers again try to tighten campaign finance law," July 19, 2015
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