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Campaign finance agencies in Kentucky
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In Kentucky, there is one primary agency involved in statewide campaign finance regulation: the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance. The registry administers and enforces Kentucky's campaign finance laws.[1]
Authority
The Kentucky Registry of Election Finance is authorized to administer and enforce the state's campaign finance laws. This includes receiving and processing required campaign finance reports. In addition, "the registry's regulatory function includes tracking of candidate and committee election finance activities, audit functions, investigations, review of and response to requests for advisory opinions, and adjudication of administrative charges of violations of campaign finance laws."[2]
The commission is authorized to levy civil penalties against individuals or groups that violate the law. State law stipulates that knowingly committing a violation constitutes a Class D felony. In cases where the registry "determines that there is probable cause to believe that a Respondent knowingly violated the campaign finance law, it will refer the matter to the Attorney General for prosecution."[3]
Organization
The registry is led by a governing board, which comprises seven members. These members are appointed as follows:[4]
- The governor appoints four members.
- One appointee must belong to the political party "with the largest vote count in the last gubernatorial election."
- One appointee must belong to the political party "with the second largest vote count in the last gubernatorial election."
- Two members "are chosen from nominations solicited from at least two organizations which have demonstrated a nonpartisan interest in fair election and informed voting, with one appointee from each of the two political parties with the first and second largest vote counts in the last gubernatorial election."
- The state auditor appoints one member. The auditor must collect nominations "from at least two organizations which have demonstrated a nonpartisan interest in fair elections and informed voting. The appointee shall be a member of one of the two political parties with the largest vote counts in the last gubernatorial election."
- The attorney general appoints one member. The attorney general must follow the same requirements set forth for the state auditor, except the attorney general's appointee must belong to a different political party than the state auditor's appointee.
- The secretary of state appoints one member. The secretary of state must collect nominations "from at least two organizations which have demonstrated a nonpartisan interest in fair elections and informed voting. The person appointed by the secretary of state is appointed without regard to political party affiliation."
Electronic reporting system
In 2000, the Kentucky General Assembly passed legislation that required the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance to develop an electronic system for filing campaign finance reports. The registry launched that system in January 2002. Further details about electronic filing processes in Kentucky can be accessed here.[4]
Contact information
Kentucky Registry of Election Finance
- 140 Walnut St.
- Frankfort, KY 40601-3240
- Telephone: 502-573-2226
- Fax: 502-573-5622
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ NCSL, "Campaign Finance Enforcement," October 15, 2020
- ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "About," accessed June 24, 2025
- ↑ Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "Candidate Guide to Campaign Finance," July 2024
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, "History of the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance," accessed June 24, 2025
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