2011 Vermont Code
Title 17 Elections
Chapter 59 CAMPAIGN FINANCE
§ 2801 Definitions

§ 2801. Definitions

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Candidate" means an individual who has taken affirmative action to become a candidate for state, county, local or legislative office in a primary, special, general or local election. An affirmative action shall include one or more of the following:

(A) accepting contributions or making expenditures totalling $500.00 or more; or

(B) filing the requisite petition for nomination under this title or being nominated by primary or caucus; or

(C) announcing that he seeks an elected position as a state, county or local officer or a position as representative or senator in the general assembly.

(2) "Contribution" means a payment, distribution, advance, deposit, loan or gift of money or anything of value, paid or promised to be paid to a person for the purpose of influencing an election, advocating a position on a public question, or supporting or opposing one or more candidates in any election, but shall not include services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering their time on behalf of a candidate, political committee or political party. For purposes of this chapter, "contribution" shall not include a personal loan from a lending institution.

(3) "Expenditure" means a payment, disbursement, distribution, advance, deposit, loan or gift of money or anything of value, paid or promised to be paid, for the purpose of influencing an election, advocating a position on a public question, or supporting or opposing one or more candidates.

(4) "Political committee" or "political action committee" means any formal or informal committee of two or more individuals, or a corporation, labor organization, public interest group, or other entity, not including a political party, which receives contributions of more than $500.00 and makes expenditures of more than $500.00 in any one calendar year for the purpose of supporting or opposing one or more candidates, influencing an election, or advocating a position on a public question in any election or affecting the outcome of an election.

(5) "Political party" means a political party organized under chapter 45 of this title or any committee established, financed, maintained or controlled by the party, including any subsidiary, branch or local unit thereof and including national or regional affiliates of the party.

(6) "Single source" means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, labor organization or any other organization or group of persons which is not a political committee or political party.

(7) "Election" means the procedure whereby the voters of this state or any of its political subdivisions select a person to be a candidate for public office or fill a public office, or to act on public questions including voting on constitutional amendments. Each primary, general, special, run-off or local election shall constitute a separate election.

(8) "Public question" means an issue that is before the voters for a binding decision.

(9) "Two-year general election cycle" means the 24-month period that begins 38 days after a general election. Expenditures related to a previous campaign and contributions to retire a debt of a previous campaign shall be attributed to the earlier campaign cycle.

(10) "Full name" means an individual's full first name, middle name or initial, if any, and full legal last name, making the identity of the person who made the contribution apparent by unambiguous reference.

(11) "Telephone bank" means more than 500 telephone calls of an identical or substantially similar nature that are made to the general public within any 30-day period. (Added 1981, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), { 1, eff. date, see note set out below; amended 1987, No. 263 (Adj. Sess.), { 1; 1997, No. 64, { 5, eff. Nov. 4, 1998; 2005, No. 62, { 1.)