2011 Vermont Code
Title 17 Elections
Chapter 59 CAMPAIGN FINANCE
§ 2855 Vermont campaign finance grants; amounts; timing

§ 2855. Vermont campaign finance grants; amounts; timing

(a) To the extent funds are available, the secretary of state shall make grants from the Vermont campaign fund in separate grants for the primary and general election periods to candidates who have qualified for Vermont campaign finance grants under this subchapter.

(b) Whether a candidate has entered a primary or is an independent candidate, Vermont campaign finance grants shall be in the following amounts:

(1) For governor, $75,000.00 in a primary election period and $225,000.00 in a general election period, provided that the grant for a primary election period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the candidate's qualifying contributions.

(2) For lieutenant governor, $25,000.00 in a primary election period and $75,000.00 in a general election period, provided that the grant for a primary election period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the candidate's qualifying contributions.

(3) A candidate who is an incumbent of the office being sought shall be entitled to receive a grant in an amount equal to 85 percent of the amount listed in subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection.

(c) In an uncontested general election and in the case of a candidate who enters a primary election and is unsuccessful in that election, an otherwise eligible candidate shall not be eligible for a general election period grant. However, such candidate may solicit and accept contributions and make expenditures as follows: contributions shall be subject to the limitations of section 2805 of this title and expenditures shall be limited to an amount equal to the amount of the grant set forth in subsection (b) of this section for the general election for that office.

(d) Grants awarded in a primary election period, but not expended by the candidate in the primary election period, may be expended by the candidate in the general election period.

(e) If the Vermont campaign fund contains insufficient revenues to provide Vermont campaign finance grants to all candidates under this section, the available funds shall be distributed proportionately among all qualifying candidates. If grants are reduced under this subsection, a candidate may solicit and accept additional contributions equal to the amount of the difference between the amount of the Vermont campaign finance grants authorized and the amount received under this section. Additional contributions authorized under this subsection shall be governed by the provisions of sections 2805 and 2853 of this title.

(f) Vermont campaign finance grants for a primary election period shall be paid to qualifying candidates within the first ten business days of the primary election period. Vermont campaign finance grants for a general election period shall be paid to qualifying candidates during the first ten business days of the general election period. (Added 1997, No. 64, { 2, eff. Nov. 4, 1998.)