2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 9 - Elections › Chapter 157 - Citizens' Election Program › Section 9-704. - Qualifying contributions.

(a) The amount of qualifying contributions that the candidate committee of a candidate shall be required to receive in order to be eligible for grants from the Citizens' Election Fund shall be:
(1) In the case of a candidate for nomination or election to the office of Governor, contributions from individuals in the aggregate amount of two hundred fifty thousand dollars, of which two hundred twenty-five thousand dollars or more is contributed by individuals residing in the state, except that in the case of a primary or election held in 2022, or thereafter, the aggregate contribution amounts shall be first adjusted under subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section and then rounded to the nearest multiple of one hundred dollars with exactly fifty dollars rounded upward. The provisions of this subdivision shall be subject to the following: (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (C) of this subdivision and subsection (g) of section 9-610, (i) before January 1, 2019, the candidate committee shall return the portion of any contribution or contributions from any individual, including said candidate, that exceeds one hundred dollars, (ii) on and after January 1, 2019, the candidate committee shall return the portion of any contribution or contributions from any individual, including said candidate, that exceeds two hundred fifty dollars, and (iii) any such excess portion shall not be considered in calculating the aggregate contribution amounts under this subdivision, (B) all contributions received by (i) an exploratory committee established by said candidate, or (ii) an exploratory committee or candidate committee of a candidate for the office of Lieutenant Governor who is deemed to be jointly campaigning with a candidate for nomination or election to the office of Governor under subsection (a) of section 9-709, which meet the criteria for qualifying contributions to candidate committees under this section shall be considered in calculating the aggregate contribution amounts, and (C) in the case of a primary or election held in 2022, or thereafter, the two-hundred-fifty-dollar maximum individual contribution amount provided in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision shall be first adjusted under subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of this section and then rounded to the nearest multiple of ten dollars with exactly five dollars rounded upward.
(2) In the case of a candidate for nomination or election to the office of Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or Secretary of the State, contributions from individuals in the aggregate amount of seventy-five thousand dollars, of which sixty-seven thousand five hundred dollars or more is contributed by individuals residing in the state, except that in the case of a primary or election for Lieutenant Governor held in 2022, or thereafter, the aggregate contribution amounts shall be first adjusted under subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section and then rounded to the nearest multiple of one hundred dollars with exactly fifty dollars rounded upward and in the case of a primary or election for Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or Secretary of the State held in 2018, or thereafter, the aggregate contribution amounts shall be first adjusted under subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section and then rounded to the nearest multiple of one hundred dollars with exactly fifty dollars rounded upward. The provisions of this subdivision shall be subject to the following: (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (C) of this subdivision and subsection (g) of section 9-610, (i) before January 1, 2019, the candidate committee shall return the portion of any contribution or contributions from any individual, including said candidate, that exceeds one hundred dollars, (ii) on and after January 1, 2019, the candidate committee shall return the portion of any contribution or contributions from any individual, including said candidate, that exceeds two hundred fifty dollars, and (iii) any such excess portion shall not be considered in calculating the aggregate contribution amounts under this subdivision, (B) all contributions received by an exploratory committee established by said candidate that meet the criteria for qualifying contributions to candidate committees under this section shall be considered in calculating the aggregate contribution amounts, and (C) in the case of a primary or election held in 2022, or thereafter, the two-hundred-fifty-dollar maximum individual contribution amount provided in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision shall be first adjusted under subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of this section and then rounded to the nearest multiple of ten dollars with exactly five dollars rounded upward.
(3) In the case of a candidate for nomination or election to the office of state senator for a district, contributions from individuals in the aggregate amount of fifteen thousand dollars, including contributions from at least three hundred individuals residing in municipalities included, in whole or in part, in said district, except that in the case of a primary or election held in 2018, or thereafter, the aggregate contribution amount shall be first adjusted under subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of this section and then rounded to the nearest multiple of one hundred dollars with exactly fifty dollars rounded upward. The provisions of this subdivision shall be subject to the following: (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (D) of this subdivision and subsection (g) of section 9-610, (i) before December 1, 2017, the candidate committee shall return the portion of any contribution or contributions from any individual, including said candidate, that exceeds one hundred dollars, (ii) on and after December 1, 2017, the candidate committee shall return the portion of any contribution or contributions from any individual, including said candidate, that exceeds two hundred fifty dollars, and (iii) any such excess portion shall not be considered in calculating the aggregate contribution amount under this subdivision, (B) no contribution shall be counted for the purposes of the requirement under this subdivision for contributions from at least three hundred individuals residing in municipalities included, in whole or in part, in the district unless the contribution is five dollars or more, and (C) all contributions received by an exploratory committee established by said candidate that meet the criteria for qualifying contributions to candidate committees under this section shall be considered in calculating the aggregate contribution amount under this subdivision and all such exploratory committee contributions that also meet the requirement under this subdivision for contributions from at least three hundred individuals residing in municipalities included, in whole or in part, in the district shall be counted for the purposes of said requirement, and (D) in the case of a primary or election held in 2020, or thereafter, the two-hundred-fifty-dollar maximum individual contribution amount provided in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision shall be adjusted under subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of this section and then rounded to the nearest multiple of ten dollars with exactly five dollars rounded upward.
(4) In the case of a candidate for nomination or election to the office of state representative for a district, contributions from individuals in the aggregate amount of five thousand dollars, including contributions from at least one hundred fifty individuals residing in municipalities included, in whole or in part, in said district, except that in the case of a primary or election held in 2018, or thereafter, the aggregate contribution amount shall be first adjusted under subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of this section and then rounded to the nearest multiple of one hundred dollars with exactly fifty dollars rounded upward. The provisions of this subdivision shall be subject to the following: (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (D) of this subdivision and subsection (g) of section 9-610, (i) before December 1, 2017, the candidate committee shall return the portion of any contribution or contributions from any individual, including said candidate, that exceeds one hundred dollars, (ii) on and after December 1, 2017, the candidate committee shall return the portion of any contribution or contributions from any individual, including said candidate, that exceeds two hundred fifty dollars, and (iii) any such excess portion shall not be considered in calculating the aggregate contribution amount under this subdivision, (B) no contribution shall be counted for the purposes of the requirement under this subdivision for contributions from at least one hundred fifty individuals residing in municipalities included, in whole or in part, in the district unless the contribution is five dollars or more, (C) all contributions received by an exploratory committee established by said candidate that meet the criteria for qualifying contributions to candidate committees under this section shall be considered in calculating the aggregate contribution amount under this subdivision and all such exploratory committee contributions that also meet the requirement under this subdivision for contributions from at least one hundred fifty individuals residing in municipalities included, in whole or in part, in the district shall be counted for the purposes of said requirement, and (D) in the case of a primary or election held in 2020, or thereafter, the two-hundred-fifty-dollar maximum individual contribution amount provided in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision shall be adjusted under subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of this section and then rounded to the nearest multiple of ten dollars with exactly five dollars rounded upward.
(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (3) and (4) of this subsection, in the case of a special election for the office of state senator or state representative for a district, (A) the aggregate amount of qualifying contributions that the candidate committee of a candidate for such office shall be required to receive in order to be eligible for a grant from the Citizens' Election Fund shall be seventy-five per cent or more of the corresponding amount required under the applicable said subdivision (3) or (4), as adjusted and rounded pursuant to the applicable provisions of subsection (b) of this section, and (B) the number of contributions required from individuals residing in municipalities included, in whole or in part, in said district shall be seventy-five per cent or more of the corresponding number required under the applicable said subdivision (3) or (4).
(b) (1) For elections for the office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor held in 2022, and thereafter, the aggregate contribution amounts in subdivision (1) or (2), as applicable, of subsection (a) of this section shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement Commission not later than January 15, 2022, and quadrennially thereafter, in accordance with any change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on December thirty-first in the year preceding the year in which said adjustment is to be made.
(2) For elections for the office of Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or Secretary of the State held in 2018, and thereafter, the aggregate contribution amounts in subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement Commission not later than January 15, 2018, and quadrennially thereafter, in accordance with any change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on December thirty-first in the year preceding the year in which said adjustment is to be made.
(3) For elections for the office of state senator or state representative held in 2018, and thereafter, the aggregate contribution amounts in subdivision (3) or (4), as applicable, of subsection (a) of this section shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement Commission not later than January 15, 2018, and biennially thereafter, in accordance with any change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on December thirty-first in the year preceding the year in which said adjustment is to be made.
(c) (1) For elections for the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or Secretary of the State held in 2022, and thereafter, the two-hundred-fifty-dollar maximum individual contribution amount in subdivision (1) or (2), as applicable, of subsection (a) of this section shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement Commission not later than January 15, 2022, and quadrennially thereafter, in accordance with any change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on December thirty-first in the year preceding the year in which said adjustment is to be made.
(2) For elections for the office of state senator or state representative held in 2020, and thereafter, the two-hundred-fifty-dollar maximum individual contribution amount in subdivision (3) or (4), as applicable, of subsection (a) of this section shall be adjusted by the State Elections Enforcement Commission not later than January 15, 2020, and biennially thereafter, in accordance with any change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the period beginning on January 1, 2017, and ending on December thirty-first in the year preceding the year in which said adjustment is to be made.
(d) Each individual who makes a contribution of more than fifty dollars to a candidate committee established to aid or promote the success of a participating candidate for nomination or election shall include with the contribution a certification that contains the same information described in subdivision (3) of subsection (c) of section 9-608 and shall follow the same procedure prescribed in said subsection.
(e) The following shall not be deemed to be qualifying contributions under subsection (a) of this section and shall be returned by the treasurer of the candidate committee to the contributor or transmitted to the State Elections Enforcement Commission for deposit in the Citizens' Election Fund:
(1) A contribution from a principal of a state contractor or prospective state contractor;
(2) A contribution of less than five dollars, and a contribution of five dollars or more from an individual who does not provide the full name and complete address of the individual;
(3) A contribution under subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of this section from an individual who does not reside in the state, in excess of the applicable limit on contributions from out-of-state individuals in subsection (a) of this section; and
(4) A contribution made by a youth who is less than twelve years of age.
(f) After a candidate committee receives the applicable aggregate amount of qualifying contributions under subsection (a) of this section, the candidate committee shall transmit any additional contributions that it receives to the State Treasurer for deposit in the Citizens' Election Fund.
(g) As used in this section, “principal of a state contractor or prospective state contractor” has the same meaning as provided in subsection (g) of section 9-612, and “individual” shall include sole proprietorships.
(Oct. 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-5, S. 5; P.A. 08-2, S. 16; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 10-1, S. 11, 12; P.A. 11-48, S. 292; P.A. 13-180, S. 12; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 276.)
History: Oct. 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-5 effective December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after that date; P.A. 08-2 amended Subsec. (b) to delete former provision re certification and require certification to contain same information described in Sec. 9-608(c)(3), and procedure prescribed therein to be followed, and amended Subsec. (c) to allow for transmission of nonqualifying contributions to State Elections Enforcement Commission for deposit in Citizens' Election Fund and, in Subdiv. (3), to include contribution of less than $5, effective April 7, 2008; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 10-1 amended Subsec. (c) by deleting former Subdiv. (1) prohibiting contributions from communicator lobbyists and by redesignating existing Subdivs. (2), (3) and (4) as Subdivs. (1), (2) and (3) and amended Subsec. (e) by deleting former Subdivs. (1) and (2) defining “communicator lobbyist” and “immediate family”, effective August 13, 2010; P.A. 11-48 amended Subsec. (c) by adding Subdiv. (4) re contribution made by a youth and amended Subsec. (e) by defining “individual” to include sole proprietorships, effective January 1, 2012, and applicable to primaries and elections held on or after that date; pursuant to P.A. 13-180, “campaign treasurer” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “treasurer” in Subsec. (c), effective June 18, 2013; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 substantially amended Subsec. (a) including by adding provisions re primary or election held in 2018, 2020 and 2022, adding reference to Sec. 9-610(g), and adding provisions re return of portion of contribution on and after December 1, 2017 and on and after January 1, 2019, added new Subsec. (b) re elections held in 2022 and 2018, added new Subsec. (c) re elections held in 2022 and 2020, redesignated existing Subsecs. (b) to (e) as Subsecs. (d) to (g), and made technical and conforming changes, effective October 31, 2017.
Subsec. (a):
Under Subdiv. (1)(B)(ii), contributions from individuals to candidate committee of the candidate for Lieutenant Governor that do not exceed $100 are “qualifying contributions” under Subdiv. (2); under Subdiv. (1)(B)(ii), all contributions to the committee of the candidate for Lieutenant Governor must be considered in determining whether the candidate for Governor has met the qualifying threshold of $250,000 if, at the time contributions were received by the committee of the candidate for Lieutenant Governor, they met the criteria for qualifying contributions to that candidate under Subdiv. (2). 297 C. 764.