A political committee is two or more persons organized to influence, through contributions or expenditures, municipal elections or a ballot initiative such as a City charter amendment, local ordinance amendment, or municipal policy amendment, which is submitted (or intended to be submitted) to a popular vote at an election. A political committee can also be the political committee of a political party of the state, county, city, ward or town.
Political committees have various reporting requirements as they become active during the municipal election season. Any political committee which is organized to support a candidate in any election must secure the written consent of the candidate or the candidate's fiscal agent prior to receiving contributions or making expenditures. The written consent must be filed with the City Clerk along with the Political Committee Registration form within forty-five (45) days of a municipal election. All other political committees must register prior to receiving contributions or making expenditures.
Similar to candidates, all political committees must submit a sworn, notarized Contributions and Expenditures report to the City Clerk within ten (10) days immediately preceding and within ten (10) days immediately proceeding an election. The report must be signed by either the committee chairman or treasurer. If the political committee has received combined contributions or has combined expenditures equal to or exceeding five hundred dollars ($500), itemized Campaign Contributions Disclosure and/or Campaign Expenditures Disclosure reports must accompany the Contributions and Expenditures report.
The Campaign Contributions Disclosure and Campaign Expenditures Disclosure reports shall be itemized, identifying each receipt regardless of amount, with the full name and address of the contributor and the amount of the contribution made up to the date of the initial report or made since the date of the last report. The report shall also show each expenditure with the full name and address of persons, corporations, committees, or whomever was paid or is to be paid, with the specific nature of the amount of each expenditure made up to the date of the initial report or made since the date of the last report.
All disclosure reports and accompanying itemization sheets are available below: