August 2004 Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

Contact Sarah Alberghini: 802-828-2148                           For Immediate Release: August 4, 2004 

Secretary of State Issues Campaign Finance Reminder

Markowitz reminds candidates that the season’s first campaign finance reports

are due Thursday, August 5th

Montpelier.  Today Secretary of State Deb Markowitz issued a series of reminders to all candidates for state office.  Markowitz said, “Every candidate who has raised or spent $500 or more must periodically file reports with the Secretary of State’s office listing the campaign contributions they have received and the expenditures they have made.  The first reports are due this Thursday – forty days before the primary election.”   

Markowitz said “as the most active part of the campaign season approaches, we believe it is important to remind candidates, political parties and political committees that there are a number of laws that apply to their fundraising efforts.  In our experience a quick review of the laws before a candidate gets started will go a long way to ensuring the campaign stay out of trouble as the campaign season progresses.” 

Markowitz issued a reminder that Vermont law limits the amount of contributions that a candidate might receive from a single source.  Markowitz said, “in Vermont, a single source is an individual, corporation, labor union and PAC.  Each of these entities may give up to the maximum permitted to a candidate in a two year election cycle.”  

The contribution limitations are as follows: $400.00 for the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, auditor of accounts, or attorney general; $300.00 for state senator or county office; $200.00 for state representative or local office.  A single source can also contribute up to $2000 per election cycle to a political party or political committee.

Markowitz said, “it is important to remember that it is against the law for a person or organization to circumvent or attempt to circumvent the contribution limitations.  This means that an individual or organization may not transfer or give money to another person or organization with the intent of having that person or organization contribute that money to a particular candidate or candidates.”  Additionally, Markowitz said, “a political party or political committee may not accept a contribution that the donor directs to be expended for the benefit of a particular candidate.” Those who violate the law can be subject to a civil penalty of up to $10,000.00 for each offense. The Office of the Attorney General looks into written complaints of violations of the Vermont campaign finance law. 

Markowitz also announced a new website designed for Vermont’s candidates and campaigns.  Markowitz said, “this spring we designed a new website for candidates, PACs and political parties to make it easier to navigate the laws that apply to them.  The website has information about how to become a candidate in Vermont, as well as a guide to Vermont’s campaign finance laws and more. Voters can also view the campaign finance reports submitted by candidates.”   The new website can be found in the Elections section of  http://www.sec.state.vt.us.

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