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Florida > The Florida Election Code > Campaign Financing

§ 106.0702 Reporting; political party executive committee candidates.

Overview of Statute

This statute governs the process by which candidates running for a publicly elected position on a political party executive committee report contributions received and expenditures made.

Statute

(1) An individual seeking a publicly elected position on a political party executive committee who receives a contribution or makes an expenditure shall file a report of all contributions received and all expenditures made. The report shall be filed on the 4th day immediately preceding the primary election.

(2)(a) The report shall be filed with the supervisor of elections of the appropriate county. Reports shall be filed no later than 5 p.m. of the day designated; however, any report postmarked by the United States Postal Service by the day designated shall be deemed to have been filed in a timely manner. Any report received by the filing officer within 5 days after the designated due date shall be deemed timely filed unless it has a postmark that indicates that the report was mailed after the designated due date. A certificate of mailing obtained from and dated by the United States Postal Service at the time of mailing, or a receipt from an established courier company, which bears a date on or before the date on which the report is due is proof of mailing in a timely manner. The report filed must contain information of all contributions received and expenditures made as of the day preceding the designated due date. All such reports must be open to public inspection.
(b) A reporting individual may submit the report required under this section through an electronic filing system, if used by the supervisor for other candidates, in order to satisfy the filing requirement. Such reports shall be completed and filed through the electronic filing system not later than midnight on the 4th day immediately preceding the primary election.
(3)(a) A report that is deemed to be incomplete by the supervisor shall be accepted on a conditional basis. The supervisor shall send a notice to the reporting individual by certified mail or by another method using a common carrier that provides proof of delivery as to why the report is incomplete. Within 7 days after receipt of such notice, the reporting individual must file an addendum to the report providing all information necessary to complete the report in compliance with this section. Failure to file a complete report after such notice constitutes a violation of this chapter.
(b) Notice is deemed complete upon proof of delivery of a written notice to the mailing or street address that is on record with the supervisor.

(4)(a) Each report required by this section must contain:

  1. The full name, address, and occupation of each person who has made one or more contributions to or for the reporting individual within the reporting period, together with the amount and date of such contributions. For corporations, the report must provide as clear a description as practicable of the principal type of business conducted by the corporations. However, if the contribution is $100 or less or is from a relative, as defined in s. 112.312, provided that the relationship is reported, the occupation of the contributor or the principal type of business need not be listed.
  2. The name and address of each political committee from which the reporting individual has received, or to which the reporting individual has made, any transfer of funds within the reporting period, together with the amounts and dates of all transfers.
  3. Each loan for campaign purposes from any person or political committee within the reporting period, together with the full name, address, and occupation, and principal place of business, if any, of the lender and endorser, if any, and the date and amount of such loans.
  4. A statement of each contribution, rebate, refund, or other receipt not otherwise listed under subparagraphs 1.-3.
  5. The total sums of all loans, in-kind contributions, and other receipts by or for such reporting individual during the reporting period. The reporting forms shall be designed to elicit separate totals for in-kind contributions, loans, and other receipts.
  6. The full name and address of each person to whom expenditures have been made by or on behalf of the reporting individual within the reporting period; the amount, date, and purpose of each such expenditure; and the name and address of, and office sought by, each reporting individual on whose behalf such expenditure was made.
  7. The amount and nature of debts and obligations owed by or to the reporting individual which relate to the conduct of any political campaign.
  8. Transaction information for each credit card purchase. Receipts for each credit card purchase shall be retained by the reporting individual.
  9. The amount and nature of any separate interest-bearing accounts or certificates of deposit and identification of the financial institution in which such accounts or certificates of deposit are located.

(b) The supervisor shall make available to any reporting individual a reporting form that the reporting individual may use to indicate contributions received by the reporting individual but returned to the contributor before deposit.

(5) The reporting individual shall certify as to the correctness of the report and shall bear the responsibility for the accuracy and veracity of each report. Any reporting individual who willfully certifies the correctness of the report while knowing that such report is incorrect, false, or incomplete commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.775.083.
(6) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the filing of the required report is waived if the reporting individual has not received contributions or expended any reportable funds.
(7)(a) A reporting individual who fails to file a report on the designated due date is subject to a fine, and such fine shall be paid only from personal funds of the reporting individual. The fine shall be $50 per day for the first 3 days late and, thereafter, $500 per day for each late day, not to exceed 25 percent of the total receipts or expenditures, whichever is greater. The fine shall be assessed by the supervisor, and the moneys collected shall be deposited into the general revenue fund of the political subdivision.
(b) The supervisor shall determine the amount of the fine due based upon the earliest of the following:
  1. When the report is actually received by the supervisor;
  2. When the report is postmarked;
  3. When the certificate of mailing is dated;
  4. When the receipt from an established courier company is dated; or
  5. When the report is completed and filed through the electronic filing system, if applicable.

Such fine shall be paid to the supervisor within 20 days after receipt of the notice of payment due unless appeal is made to the Florida Elections Commission pursuant to paragraph (c). Notice is deemed complete upon proof of delivery of written notice to the mailing or street address on record with the supervisor. Such fine may not be an allowable campaign expenditure and shall be paid only from personal funds of the reporting individual.

(c) A reporting individual may appeal or dispute the fine, based upon, but not limited to, unusual circumstances surrounding the failure to file on the designated due date, and may request and is entitled to a hearing before the Florida Elections Commission, which has the authority to waive the fine in whole or in part. The Florida Elections Commission must consider the mitigating and aggravating circumstances contained in s. 106.265(2) when determining the amount of a fine, if any, to be waived. Any such request shall be made within 20 days after receipt of the notice of payment due. In such case, the reporting individual must, within 20 days after receipt of the notice, notify the supervisor in writing of his or her intention to bring the matter before the commission.

(d) The appropriate supervisor shall notify the Florida Elections Commission of the late filing by a reporting individual, the failure of a reporting individual to file a report after notice, or the failure to pay the fine imposed. The commission shall investigate only those alleged late filing violations specifically identified by the supervisor and as set forth in the notification. Any other alleged violations must be separately stated and reported by the division to the commission under s.106.25(2).

History:

s. 10, ch. 2013-37.

Definition [Expenditure]

(a) A purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, transfer of funds by a campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer between a primary depository and a separate interest-bearing account or certificate of deposit, or gift of money or anything of value made for the purpose of influencing the results of an election or making an electioneering communication. However, “expenditure” does not include a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, or gift of money or anything of value made for the purpose of influencing the results of an election when made by an organization, in existence before the time during which a candidate qualifies or an issue is placed on the ballot for that election, for the purpose of printing or distributing such organization’s newsletter, containing a statement by such organization in support of or opposition to a candidate or issue, which newsletter is distributed only to members of such organization.

(b) As used in chapter 106, an “expenditure” for an electioneering communication is made when the earliest of the following occurs:

1. A person enters into a contract for applicable goods or services;

2. A person makes payment, in whole or in part, for the production or public dissemination of applicable goods or services; or

3. The electioneering communication is publicly disseminated. Fla. Stat. § 106.011(10).

Definition [Contribution]

(a) A gift, subscription, conveyance, deposit, loan, payment, or distribution of money or anything of value, including contributions in kind having an attributable monetary value in any form, made for the purpose of influencing the results of an election or making an electioneering communication.

(b) A transfer of funds between political committees, between electioneering communications organizations, or between any combination of these groups.

(c) The payment, by a person other than a candidate or political committee, of compensation for the personal services of another person which are rendered to a candidate or political committee without charge to the candidate or committee for such services.

(d) The transfer of funds by a campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer between a primary depository and a separate interest-bearing account or certificate of deposit, and the term includes interest earned on such account or certificate.

Notwithstanding the foregoing meanings of “contribution,” the term may not be construed to include services, including, but not limited to, legal and accounting services, provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a candidate or political committee or editorial endorsements. Fla. Stat. § 106.011(5).

Definition [Filing Officer]

The person before whom a candidate qualifies or the agency or officer with whom a political committee or an electioneering communications organization registers. Fla. Stat. § 106.011(11).

Definition [Primary Election]

An election held preceding the general election for the purpose of nominating a party nominee to be voted for in the general election to fill a national, state, county, or district office. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(29).

Definition [Political Committee]

1. A combination of two or more individuals, or a person other than an individual, that, in an aggregate amount in excess of $500 during a single calendar year:

a. Accepts contributions for the purpose of making contributions to any candidate, political committee, affiliated party committee, or political party;

b. Accepts contributions for the purpose of expressly advocating the election or defeat of a candidate or the passage or defeat of an issue;

c. Makes expenditures that expressly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate or the passage or defeat of an issue; or

d. Makes contributions to a common fund, other than a joint checking account between spouses, from which contributions are made to any candidate, political committee, affiliated party committee, or political party;

2. The sponsor of a proposed constitutional amendment by initiative who intends to seek the signatures of registered electors.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), the following entities are not considered political committees for purposes of this chapter:

1. National political parties, the state and county executive committees of political parties, and affiliated party committees regulated by chapter 103.

2. Corporations regulated by chapter 607 or chapter 617 or other business entities formed for purposes other than to support or oppose issues or candidates, if their political activities are limited to contributions to candidates, political parties, affiliated party committees, or political committees or expenditures in support of or opposition to an issue from corporate or business funds and if no contributions are received by such corporations or business entities.

3. Electioneering communications organizations as defined in subsection (9). Fla. Stat. § 106.11(16).

 

Definition [Person]

An individual or a corporation, association, firm, partnership, joint venture, joint stock company, club, organization, estate, trust, business trust, syndicate, or other combination of individuals having collective capacity. The term includes a political party, affiliated party committee, or political committee. Fla. Stat. § 106.011(14).

Definition [Election]

Any primary election, special primary election, special election, general election, or presidential preference primary election. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(12).

Definition [Purchase]

As used in ss. 101.292-101.295, “purchase” means a contract for the purchase, lease, rental, or other acquisition of voting equipment. Fla. Stat. § 101.292(3).

Definition [Candidate]

Any person to whom any one or more of the following applies:

(a) Any person who seeks to qualify for nomination or election by means of the petitioning process.
(b) Any person who seeks to qualify for election as a write-in candidate.
(c) Any person who receives contributions or makes expenditures, or gives his or her consent for any other person to receive contributions or make expenditures, with a view to bringing about his or her nomination or election to, or retention in, public office.
(d) Any person who appoints a treasurer and designates a primary depository.
(e) Any person who files qualification papers and subscribes to a candidate’s oath as required by law.
This definition does not include any candidate for a political party executive committee. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(6).

Additional Resources

Further Reading

  • Fla. Jur. 2d Elections s 112, Reports by political parties