Source: https://www.maine.gov/ethics/laws/2005changes.htm
Timestamp: 2019-06-18 01:10:31
Document Index: 257695783

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1012', '§ 1012', '§ 1012', '§ 1014', '§ 1018', '§ 1055']

Home > Laws and Rules > 2005 Changes
2005 Changes to Laws and Rules Administered by the Commission
21A § 1012(2)B The term "contribution" does not include:
6. Documents, in printed or electronic form, including party platforms, single copies of issue papers, information pertaining to the requirements of this Title, lists of registered voters identification information, created or maintained by a political party for the general purpose of party building and provided to a candidate who is a member of that party;
8-A. Costs paid for by a party committee in connection with a campaign event at which 3 or more candidates are present;
21A § 1012(3)B The term "expenditure" does not include:
7. The payment by a party's state, district, county or municipal committee of the costs of preparation, display or mailing or other distribution of a party candidate listing;
8. Documents, in printed or electronic form, including party platforms, single copies of issue papers, information pertaining to the requirements of the Title lists of registered voters and voter identification information;
10-A. Costs paid for by a party committee in connection with a campaign event at which 3 or more candidates are present;
21A § 1012(5) Party candidate listing: "Party candidate listing" means any communication that meets the following criteria.
Commission note: under the amended law, if a party committee pays for a campaign event at which more than 3 of the party’s candidates attend, it is not considered a contribution to the candidates. In addition, if a party committee shares voter identification information with a candidate, the party committee has not made a contribution to the candidate.
The amended law attempts to better define the slate card exception by introducing a new term: "party candidate listing." As long as 3 or more candidates are listed, party committees may pay for a variety of communications to promote their candidates without triggering matching funds to the candidates' opponents. Please note that these exceptions apply only to party committees, and not to PACs.
21A § 1014(2-A) Communication: If a communication that names or depicts a clearly identified candidate is disseminated during the 21 days before an election through the media described in subsection 1, the communication must state the name and address of the person who made or financed the communication and a statement that the communication was or was not authorized by the candidate.
21A § 1018-B Recounts of elections:
1. Reporting. Candidates who are involved in a recount of an election shall file a report 90 days after the election containing itemized accounts of cash, goods and services received for the recount and payments made by the candidate for the recount. The reports must be made on forms prepared and sent by the commission. Persons donating services to the candidate are required to provide the candidate with an estimate of the value of the services donated. Political action committees and party committees making expenditures for a candidate’s recount shall identify on their regularly filed reports that the expenditures were made for the purposes of a recount.
Commission note: to improve the disclosure made by PACs, the PAC registration form will ask the PAC to identify all Legislators and other individuals who are the primary fundraisers and decision-makers for the PAC. Because some of the PAC registration forms filed with the Commission are quite old, PACs will be required to re-register with the Commission every two years at the beginning of an election year so that more current information is on file.
21A § 1055 Publication or distribution of statements: 3rd paragraph
Commission note: in 2006, PACs and state party committees will be required to file campaign finance reports electronically on the Commission's Web site, unless the committees submit a written request for a waiver because they lack access to the technology or the technological ability. Many PACs already use the electronic filing system voluntarily, and the Commission is working with its technology vendor to improve the e-filing system. The Commission will offer training sessions in 2006.