Campaign finance requirements for Missouri ballot measures

From Ballotpedia

If someone feels that a person violated Missouri campaign finance laws, then the first step is to the file a complaint to the Missouri Ethics Commission. Once a complaint is received, an investigator for the commission fully reviews and investigates the complaint. Once the complaint is reviewed and investigated then the results are sent to the Ethics Commission during a probable cause hearing^[1]. Four members of the Commission must approve a complaint before allowing further inquirty^[2]

If the Commission feels that there is probable cause of a campaign finance law violation involving civil statutes then the Commission handles the matter without any action in a court of law^[3]. If there is probable cause of criminal law violations, then the case is referred to the Missouri Attorney General. Once referred to the Attorney General, then the Attorney General allows the Office of Prosecution Services which is a division of the Attorney General's office to pursue any legal action^[4].

General requirements

Continuing Committee

Under Missouri law, a group in support or opposition of a ballot measure is considered to be a continuing committee. The law defines continuing committee as a group that can participate in any ballot issue at any date and any time. Also the group remains in existence beyond any one election/ballot issue. Also, a continuing committee is formed, controlled, and directed by a person as long it is not a candidate for public office^[5].

Campaign Committee

Also, any group that is in support or opposition of a ballot measure directed towards the Missouri Plan is called a Campaign Committee^[6].

Statement of Organization

To register, the initiative committee files a Statement of Committee Organization. The Statement of Committee Organization forms may be obtained from the Missouri Ethics Commission or from any local election authority^[7]. The treasurer acting on behalf of a committee shall file a statement of organization with the appropriate officer within 20 days after the person or committee becomes a committee but no later than the deadline for the committee’s first disclosure report^[8].

The $5,000 in 48 hours rule

Any group that receives a campaign contribution of $5,000 or more must report the contribution within 48 hours of receiving the contribution to the Missouri Secretary of State^[9].

Campaign finance requirements

Filing reports

A committee discloses its campaign finances on campaign disclosure reporting statements. These reporting statements consist of a cover sheet, and a series of schedules that itemize the committee’s receipts, expenditures and debts, a Summary Page, and a special purpose schedule that details fund raisers held by the committee.

The committee may file a Statement of Limited Activity in Lieu of Disclosure for any reporting period listed above in which the contributions or expenditures do not exceed $500 for the reporting period. Any contribution or expenditure not reported because this statement of limited activity is filed, shall be included in the next full disclosure report filed by the committee.

$100 cash limit

Missouri law prohibits groups in support or opposition of a ballot measure to accept campaign contributions more than $100 made with cash^[10].

Depository requirement

All funds received by the committee must be deposited in the committee’s official depository^[11]. .

Out of State contributions

A group in support or opposition of a ballot measure cannot accept money from out of state special interest groups unless the group that makes the contributions plans to file a Statement of Organization^[12].

Reporting requirements and reports

Missouri structures its campaign finance reporting on a quarterly, pre-election, post-election structure.

Quarterly Disclosure

The most common of the campaign finance reports are quarterly reports. The first quarter covers activity from October 1 of the preceding year to December 31st, the Second quarter is from January 1 to March 31, the third Quarter is from April 1 to June 30, while the fourth quarter is from July 1 to September 30th^[13]. The first quarter report is due on January 15, while the Second Quarter is due on April 15, the third quarter is due on July 15, while the fourth quarter is due October 15^[14].

Pre-Election report

The pre-election report covers all campaign finance activity from October 1 to twelve days before the election. This report is due eight days before the election^[15].

Post-Election Report

The post-election report covers all activity from eleven days before the election to twenty-five days past the election. The report is due thirty days after the election^[16].

Campaign advertising restrictions

Under Missouri law, all print advertisements must have a "Paid for by" following by the sponsor of the committee on any printed advertisement. This must be posted in a clear and conspicuous manner. This goes for any newspaper advertisement, handbill, sample ballot, circular, and bumper sticker^[17].

Missouri requires all groups in support or opposition of ballot measure to follow federal laws for disclosure of broadcast advertisements^[18]. This means groups must end their ads with "We approve this message" which is consistent under the stand by your ad clause in the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Act.

Terminating a committee

A group that intends to terminate must file a termination statement with the Missouri Ethics Commission within 10 days of the termination date. The statement must include how remaining surplus funds will be disbursed or how a deficit will be paid off. Also, the statement must have the contact information of the person responsible for handling the accounts during the course of the campaign^[19].

External links

Campaign finance portal

• Missouri Secretary of State-Elections Division
• Missouri Ethics Commission
• Missouri Campaign Finance Disclosure database
• Missouri Campaign Finance Information
• Missouri Continuing Committee campaign finance manual
• Missouri campaign finance statutes
• Campaign Disclosure Project

See also

• Campaign finance websites
• Procedures for qualifying an initiative in Missouri
• Laws governing the initiative process in Missouri

References

v • d • e Campaign finance for ballot measures State regulations Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • District of Columbia • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming Reporting agencies Alaska Department of Administration • Alabama Secretary of State • Arizona Secretary of State • Arkansas Ethics Commission • California Secretary of State • Colorado Secretary of State • Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission • Delaware Commissioner of Elections • District of Columbia Office of Campaign Finance • Florida Secretary of State • Georgia Ethics Commission • Idaho Secretary of State • Illinois Board of Elections • Indiana Secretary of State • Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board • Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission • Kentucky Registry of Election Finance • Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices • Maryland State Board of Elections • Massachusetts Office of Political and Campaign Finance • Michigan Secretary of State • Missouri Ethics Commission • Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission • Nevada Secretary of State • New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission • New Mexico Secretary of State • North Dakota Secretary of State • Ohio Secretary of State • Oklahoma Ethics Commission • South Carolina State Ethics Commission • South Dakota Secretary of State • Texas Ethics Commission • Utah Lieutenant Governor • Virginia Board of Elections • Washington Public Disclosure Commission • Wisconsin Government Accountability Board • Wyoming Secretary of State Disciplinary agencies Alaska Public Offices Commission• Alabama Attorney General • Arizona Attorney General • Arkansas Ethics Commission • California Fair Political Practices Commission • Colorado Secretary of State • Delaware Attorney General • District of Columbia U.S. Attorney's Office • Florida Elections Commission • Georgia Attorney General • Idaho Attorney General • Illinois Attorney General (Case-by-case basis) • Illinois Board of Elections • Indiana Attorney General • Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission (civil violations) • Kansas Attorney General (criminal law violations) • Kentucky Attorney General •Maine Attorney General • Maryland Attorney General (criminal and civil law prosecutions) • Maryland State Prosecutor's Office (criminal investigations) • Massachusetts Attorney General • Michigan Secretary of State (civil violations) • Michigan Attorney General (criminal law violations) • Missouri Ethics Commission (Civil violations) • Missouri Attorney General (criminal law violations) • Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission (civil violations) • Nebraska Attorney General (criminal law violations) • Nevada Attorney General • New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission • New Mexico Attorney General • North Dakota Attorney General • Ohio Elections Commission (civil violations) • Ohio Attorney General (criminal law violations) • Oklahoma Ethics Commission • Oregon Attorney General • South Dakota Attorney General • Texas Attorney General • Utah Attorney General • Washington Attorney General • Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (civil violations) • Wisconsin Attorney General (criminal law violations) • Wyoming Attorney General Other Campaign finance websites • Follow The Money • How to find campaign finance information about ballot measure campaigns

	v • d • e State of Missouri Jefferson City (capital)
Ballot Measures	2008 ballot measures | List of ballot measures | Local initiative and referendum | Amending the constitution | History of direct democracy | Campaign finance requirements |
Government	Missouri State Constitution | Governor | Attorney General | Secretary of State | House of Representatives | Senate |
Judiciary	Missouri Supreme Court | County circuit judges | District Courts | Judicial Nominating Commission | Judicial news | Judicial activist organizations |
Transparency Topics	Sunshine Law | Transparency Checklist | Government corruption reports | Transparency Legislation | Open Records procedures | Transparency Advocates | Transparency blogs | State budget | Taxpayer-funded lobbying associations |
Divisions	State | List of Counties | List of Cities | List of School Districts | Evaluation of county websites | Evaluation of city websites | Evaluation of school district websites |