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2006 Georgia Code - 21-5-34

21-5-34. (a)(1)(A) The candidate or the chairperson or treasurer of each campaign committee organized to bring about the nomination or election of a candidate for any office except county and municipal offices or the General Assembly and the chairperson or treasurer of every campaign committee designed to bring about the recall of a public officer or to oppose the recall of a public officer or designed to bring about the approval or rejection by the voters of any proposed constitutional amendment, state-wide proposed question, or state-wide referendum shall sign and file with the commission the required campaign contribution disclosure reports. A candidate for membership in the General Assembly or the chairperson or treasurer of such candidatés campaign committee shall file such candidatés reports with the commission and a copy of such report with the election superintendent of the county of such candidatés residence. (B) The chairperson or treasurer of each independent committee as defined in Code Section 21-5-3 shall file the required disclosure reports with the commission. (2)(A) Any campaign committee which accepts contributions or makes expenditures designed to bring about the approval or rejection by the voters of any proposed question which is to appear on the ballot in this state or in a county or a municipal election in this state shall file a campaign contribution disclosure report as prescribed by this chapter; provided, however, that such report shall only be required if such campaign committee has received contributions which total more than $500.00 or if such campaign committee has made expenditures which total more than $500.00. All advertising pertaining to referendums shall identify the principal officer of such campaign committee by listing or stating the name and title of the principal officer. (B) If a campaign committee is required to file a report under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, such report shall be filed with the commission for a state election or with the election superintendent of the county in the case of a county election or with the municipal clerk in the case of a municipal election. Any such report shall be filed 15 days prior to the date of the election; and a final report shall be filed prior to December 31 of the year in which the election is held. (3) A candidate for county office or the chairperson or treasurer of such candidatés campaign committee shall sign and file the required campaign contribution disclosure reports with the election superintendent in the respective county of election. (4) A candidate for municipal office or such candidatés campaign committee shall file the reports with the municipal clerk in the respective municipality of election or, if there is no clerk, with the chief executive officer of the municipality. (b)(1) All reports shall list the following: (A) As to any contributions of $101.00 or more, its amount and date of receipt, the election for which the contribution has been accepted and allocated, along with the name and mailing address of the contributor, and, if the contributor is an individual, that individuaĺs occupation and the name of his or her employer. Such contributions shall include, but shall not be limited to, the purchase of tickets for events such as dinners, luncheons, rallies, and similar fundraising events coordinated for the purpose of raising campaign contributions for the reporting person; (B) As to any expenditure of $101.00 or more, its amount and date of expenditure, the name and mailing address of the recipient receiving the expenditure, and, if that recipient is an individual, that individuaĺs occupation and the name of his or her employer and the general purpose of the expenditure; (C) When a contribution consists of a loan, advance, or other extension of credit, the report shall also contain the name of the lending institution or party making the advance or extension of credit and the names, mailing addresses, occupations, and places of employment of all persons having any liability for repayment of the loan, advance, or extension of credit; and, if any such persons shall have a fiduciary relationship to the lending institution or party making the advance or extension of credit, the report shall specify such relationship; (D) Total contributions received and total expenditures made as follows: (i) Contributions and expenditures shall be reported for the applicable reporting cycle; (ii) A reporting cycle shall commence on January 1 of the year in which an election is to be held for the public office to which a candidate seeks election and shall conclude: (I) At the expiration of the term of office if such candidate is elected and does not seek reelection or election to some other office; (II) On December 31 of the year in which such election was held if such candidate is unsuccessful; or (III) If such candidate is successful and seeks reelection or seeks election to some other office the current reporting cycle shall end when the reporting cycle for reelection or for some other office begins; (iii) The first report of a reporting cycle shall list the net balance on hand brought forward from the previous reporting cycle, if any, and the total contributions received during the period covered by the report; (iv) Subsequent reports shall list the total contributions received during the period covered by the report and the cumulative total of contributions received during the reporting cycle; (v) The first report of a reporting cycle shall list the total expenditures made during the period covered by the report; (vi) Subsequent reports shall list the total expenditures made during the period covered by the report, the cumulative total of expenditures made during the reporting cycle, and net balance on hand; and (vii) If a public officer seeks reelection to the same public office, or if the public officer is a member of the General Assembly seeking reelection in another district as a result of redistricting, the net balance on hand at the end of the current reporting cycle shall be carried forward to the first report of the applicable new reporting cycle; and (E) The corporate, labor union, or other affiliation of any political action committee or independent committee making a contribution of $101.00 or more. (2) Each report shall be in such form as will allow for the separate identification of a contribution or contributions which are less than $101.00 but which become reportable due to the receipt of an additional contribution or contributions which when combined with such previously received contribution or contributions cumulatively equal or exceed $101.00. (c) Candidates or campaign committees which accept contributions, make expenditures designed to bring about the nomination or election of a candidate, or have filed a declaration of intention to accept campaign contributions pursuant to subsection (g) of Code Section 21-5-30 shall file campaign contribution disclosure reports in compliance with the following schedule: (1) In each nonelection year on June 30 and December 31; (2) In each year in which the candidate qualifies to run for public office: (A) On March 31, June 30, September 30, October 25, and December 31; (B) Six days before any run-off primary or election in which the candidate is listed on the ballot; and (C) During the period of time between the last report due prior to the date of any election for which the candidate is qualified and the date of such election, all contributions of $1,000.00 or more shall be reported within two business days of receipt to the location where the original disclosure report for such candidate or committee was filed and also reported on the next succeeding regularly scheduled campaign contribution disclosure report; (3) If the candidate is candidate in a special primary or special primary runoff, 15 days prior to the special primary and six days prior to the special primary runoff; and (4) If the candidate is candidate in a special election or special election runoff, 15 days prior to the special election and six days prior to the special election runoff. All persons or entities required to file reports shall have a five-day grace period in filing the required reports, except that the grace period shall be two days for required reports prior to run-off primaries or run-off elections, and no grace period shall apply to contributions required to be reported within two business days. Except as provided for electronic filing, the mailing of such reports by United States mail with adequate postage affixed, within the required filing time as determined by the official United States postage date cancellation, shall be prima-facie evidence of filing but reports required to be filed within two business days of a contribution shall also be reported by facsimile, electronic transmission, or otherwise within those two business days to the location where the original disclosure report for such candidate or committee was filed. A report or statement required to be filed by this Code section other than a report of contributions required to be reported within two business days shall be verified by the oath or affirmation of the person filing such report or statement taken before an officer authorized to administer oaths. Each report required in the calendar year of the election shall contain cumulative totals of all contributions which have been received and all expenditures which have been made in support of the campaign in question and which are required, or previously have been required, to be reported. (d) In the event any candidate covered by this chapter has no opposition in either a primary or a general election and receives no contribution of $101.00 or more, such candidate shall only be required to make the initial and final report as required under this chapter. (e) Any person who makes contributions to, accepts contributions for, or makes expenditures on behalf of candidates, and any independent committee, shall file a registration with the commission in the same manner as is required of campaign committees prior to accepting or making contributions or expenditures. Such persons, other than independent committees, shall also file campaign contribution disclosure reports in the same places and at the same times as required of the candidates they are supporting, but such persons shall not be required to file copies of campaign contribution disclosure reports with local election superintendents as is required of candidates for membership in the General Assembly. The following persons shall be exempt from the foregoing registration and reporting requirements: (1) Individuals making aggregate contributions of $25,000.00 or less directly to candidates or the candidateścampaign committees in one calendar year; (2) Persons other than individuals making aggregate contributions and expenditures to or on behalf of candidates of $25,000.00 or less in one calendar year; and (3) Contributors who make contributions to only one candidate during one calendar year. (f)(1) Any independent committee which accepts contributions or makes expenditures for the purpose of affecting the outcome of an election or advocates the election or defeat of any candidate shall file disclosure reports with the commission as follows: (A) On the first day of each of the two calendar months preceding any such election; (B) Two weeks prior to the date of such election; and (C) Within the two-week period prior to the date of such election the independent committee shall report within two business days any contributions or expenditure of more than $1,000.00. The independent committee shall file a final report prior to December 31 of the year in which the election is held and shall file supplemental reports on June 30 and December 31 of each year that such independent committee continues to accept contributions or make expenditures. (2) Reports filed by independent committees shall list the following: (A) The amount and date of receipt, along with the name, mailing address, occupation, and employer of any person making a contribution of $101.00 or more; (B) The name, mailing address, occupation, and employer of any person to whom an expenditure or provision of goods or services of the value of $101.00 or more is made and the amount, date, and general purpose thereof, including the name of the candidate or candidates, if any, on behalf of whom, or in support of or in opposition to whom, the expenditure or provision was made; (C) Total expenditures made as follows: (i) Expenditures shall be reported for the applicable reporting year; (ii) The first report of a reporting year shall list the total expenditures made during the period covered by the report; and (iii) Subsequent reports shall list the total expenditures made during the period covered by the report, the cumulative total of expenditures made during the reporting year, and net balance on hand; and (D) The corporate, labor union, or other affiliation of any political action committee, candidate, campaign committee, or independent committee making a contribution of the value of $101.00 or more. (3) Whenever any independent committee makes an expenditure for the purpose of financing any communication intended to affect the outcome of an election, such communication shall clearly state that it has been financed by such independent committee. (g) Any campaign committee which accepts contributions or makes expenditures designed to bring about the recall of a public officer or to oppose the recall of a public officer shall file campaign contribution disclosure reports with the commission as follows: (1) An initial report shall be filed within 15 days after the date when the official recall petition forms were issued to the sponsors; (2) A second report shall be filed 45 days after the filing of the initial report; (3) A third report shall be filed within 20 days after the election superintendent certifies legal sufficiency or insufficiency of a recall petition; (4) A final report shall be filed prior to December 31 of the year in which the recall election is held or, in any case where such recall election is not held, a final report shall be filed prior to December 31 of any year in which such campaign committee accepts such contributions or makes such expenditures; and (5) In the case of state officials or county officials, a copy of each of the reports shall also be filed with the election superintendent in the county of residence of the official sought to be recalled. In the case of municipal officials, a copy of the reports shall also be filed with the municipal clerk in the municipality of residence of the official sought to be recalled or, if there is no clerk, with the chief executive officer of the municipality. Each filing officer shall forward a copy of the reporting forms required by this Code section to each candidate or public officer holding elective office required to file such report within a reasonable time prior to each filing. (h) Any campaign committee which accepts contributions or makes expenditures designed to bring about the approval or rejection by the voters of a proposed constitutional amendment or a state-wide referendum shall file a campaign contribution disclosure report with the commission 75, 45, and 15 days prior to the date of the election and shall file a final report prior to December 31 of the year in which the election is held. (i) In any county in which the county board of elections does not maintain an office open to the public during normal business hours for five days a week, the reports required by this Code section shall be filed in the office of the judge of the probate court of that county. (j)(1) Any person elected to a public office who is required to file campaign contribution disclosure reports pursuant to this article shall, upon leaving public office with excess contributions, be required to file supplemental campaign contribution disclosure reports on June 30 and December 31 of each year until such contributions are expended in a campaign for elective office or used as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 21-5-33. (2) Any person who is an unsuccessful candidate in an election and who is required to file campaign contribution disclosure reports pursuant to this article shall for the remainder of the reporting cycle file such reports at the same times as a successful candidate and thereafter, upon having excess contributions from such campaign, be required to file a supplemental campaign contribution disclosure report no later than December 31 of each year until such contributions are expended in a campaign for elective office or used as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 21-5-33. Any unsuccessful candidate in an election who is required to file campaign contribution disclosure reports pursuant to this article and who receives contributions following such election to retire debts incurred in such campaign for elective office shall be required to file a supplemental campaign contribution disclosure report no later than December 31 of each year until such unpaid expenditures from such campaign are satisfied. (k) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary, soil and water conservation district supervisors elected pursuant to Article 2 of Chapter 6 of Title 2, the 'Soil and Water Conservation Districts Law,' shall not be required to file campaign contribution disclosure reports under this Code section. (l) In addition to other penalties provided under this chapter, an additional filing fee of $25.00 shall be imposed for each report that is filed late. In addition, a filing fee of $50.00 shall be imposed on the fifteenth day after the due date if the report has still not been filed; provided, however, a 15 day extension period shall be granted on the final report. (m) It shall be the duty of the commission or any other officer or body which receives for filing any disclosure report or statement or other document required to be filed under this chapter to maintain with the filed document a copy of the postal markings or statutory overnight delivery service markings of any envelope, package, or wrapping in which the document was delivered for filing if mailed or sent after the date such filing was due. (n) Any disclosure report, statement, or other document required to be filed under this chapter which is in the possession of the Secretary of State shall be transferred to the commission.

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