Campaign finance disclosure rules for ballot measure campaigns

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Campaign finance for ballot measures
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Federal campaign finance laws and regulations
Ballot measures
State campaign finance agencies
State information
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Note: This page is not intended to serve as a manual. Individuals who are interested in establishing a committee to support or oppose a ballot measure should contact their state election agencies for more information about specific filing processes and requirements.

Groups and individuals involved in a state ballot measure campaign must adhere to that state's campaign finance laws. These laws regulate the amounts and sources of money given or received for political purposes. In addition, campaign finance laws stipulate disclosure requirements for political contributions and expenditures. For instance, state law may require a campaign to disclose the name and address of a donor once his or her contributions to the campaign exceed a certain amount. Similar requirements exist for campaign expenditures.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • In 16 states, a ballot measure campaign must identify the recipients of all payments, regardless of the amount of the payment.
  • In nine states, a ballot measure campaign must report the names and addresses of all of its contributors, regardless of the amount those contributors have given.
  • Campaign finance laws are a source of ongoing controversy. Proponents of more stringent campaign finance laws claim that the current laws do not go far enough to mitigate corruption and the influence of undisclosed special interests. Opponents claim that strict disclosure requirements and donation limits impinge upon the rights to privacy and free expression.

    The table below summarizes campaign finance disclosure requirements for ballot measure campaigns in each of the 50 states. For more information about a state's requirements, click the state name in the table below. This information comes from research conducted by Ballotpedia staff in December 2015.

    Campaign finance disclosure requirements for ballot measure campaigns
    State Committee registration threshold1 Threshold for name and address disclosure for contributors Threshold for employer/occupation disclosure for contributors Threshold for name and address disclosure for expenditures
    Alabama $1,000 $100 N/A $100
    Alaska $500 No minimum $250 $100
    Arizona $500 $25 $25 No minimum
    Arkansas $500 $100 N/A $100
    California $1,000 No minimum $100 $100
    Colorado $200 $20 $100 $20
    Connecticut $1,000 $50 $1,000 No minimum
    Delaware $500 No minimum N/A $100
    Florida $500 No minimum $100 No minimum
    Georgia $500 $100 $100 $100
    Hawaii $1,000 $100 $100 No minimum
    Idaho $500 $50 N/A $25
    Illinois $5,000 $150 $500 $150
    Indiana $100 $100 $1,000 $100
    Iowa $750 $25 N/A No minimum
    Kansas N/A $50 N/A $50
    Kentucky $1,000 $100 $100 $25
    Louisiana $500 No mimimum N/A No minimum
    Maine $1,500 $50 $50 No minimum
    Maryland No minimum No minimum N/A No minimum
    Massachusetts No minimum $50 $200 $50
    Michigan $500 No minimum $100 $50
    Minnesota $5,000 $500 $500 $200
    Mississippi $200 $200 $200 $200
    Missouri No minimum $100 $100 $100
    Montana No minimum $35 $35 No minimum
    Nebraska $5,000 $250 N/A $250
    Nevada No minimum $1,000 N/A $1,000
    New Hampshire $500 $25 $100 $25
    New Jersey No minimum $300 $300 no minimum
    New Mexico $500 No minimum $250 No minimum
    New York No minimum $99 N/A $50
    North Carolina No minimum $50 $50 $50
    North Dakota No minimum $100 N/A $100
    Ohio No minimum No minimum $100 $25
    Oklahoma $500 $50 $50 $50
    Oregon No minimum $100 $100 $100
    Pennsylvania $250 $250 $250 No minimum
    Rhode Island $1,000 $100 $100 $100
    South Carolina $2,500 $100 N/A No minimum
    South Dakota $500 $100 N/A N/A
    Tennessee No minimum $100 $100 $100
    Texas $500 $50 N/A $100
    Utah $750 $50 N/A $50
    Vermont $1,000 $100 N/A No minimum
    Virginia $10,000 $100 $100 No minimum
    Washington No minimum $25 $100 $50
    West Virginia N/A N/A N/A n/A
    Wisconsin $2,500 $20 $100 $20
    Wyoming No minimum $25 N/A No minimum
    1States sometimes require a ballot measure campaign to file a registration form once its contributions or expenditures have reached a certain amount. This amount, if applicable, is noted in this column.
    Source: Research conducted by Ballotpedia staff in December 2015.

    See also