El Dorado County Municipal Code Ch. 2.23 Electronic Filing of Campaign Disclosure Statements

State law requires candidates, persons supporting or opposing ballot measures and certain types of committees that receive contributions and makes expenditures of $2,000.00 or more, to file campaign finance statements with the local filing officer detailing the sources of contributions and the manner in which the contributions are dispersed. Government Code § 84615 authorizes local jurisdictions to require the filing of campaign statements and reports solely in an electronic form, with a specified exemption. The purpose of these laws is to assist voters in making informed electoral decisions and to assist in ensuring compliance with campaign contribution laws.

(Ord. No. 5157, § 1, 2-1-2022)

The Board of Supervisors makes the following findings in support of the requirements specified in this chapter:

1. An electronic system reduces paper waste and time spent processing and storing paper filings, so that efforts can be focused on helping filers comply with filing requirements.

2. An electronic system is not unduly burdensome on candidates in that it reduces the need for candidates to print out and physically mail statements to the local filing officer.

3. The system used by the County contains multiple safeguards to protect the integrity and security of the data, and has been approved for use by the Secretary of State.

4. An electronic system will facilitate compliance with Government Code § 84616, requiring campaign finance statements be posted on the internet with certain items redacted within 72 hours of receipt.

5. An electronic system streamlines the filing process, by storing information previously entered, calculating numbers, and helping catch errors before filings are submitted, thereby reducing the need to file amendments.

6. Once the statements are placed online, they are available for public viewing free of charge and allow the public to search reports by field, including, but not limited to, election, candidate, date, contributor and expenditure.

(Ord. No. 5157, § 1, 2-1-2022)

A. Whenever any elected officer, candidate or committee is required by the California Political Reform Act to file a semi-annual campaign statement, a pre-election campaign statement, an amended campaign statement, a supplemental pre-election campaign statement, a report disclosing a contribution received by or made to a candidate, local ballot measure, or an independent expenditure made for or against a candidate or local ballot measure, of $2,000.00 or more, or in any other amount specified by Government Code § 84615 as it may be amended from time to time, during an election cycle with the local filing officer, it shall be filed electronically. The elected officer, candidate or committee shall file the statement using the electronic filing system available on the Registrar of Voters' website. The street or address or building number of the persons or entity representatives, or any bank account number, shall not be displayed online.

B. Any statement, report, or other document filed electronically or online pursuant to this section shall be accepted as an original statement and need not be filed in paper format.

C. The date of filing for a statement, report, or other document that is filed online or electronically shall be the day that it is received by the local filing officer, and the electronic system will issue a date and time stamped confirmation validating receipt of the statement, report, or other document.

D. If the original statement, report, or other document is required to be filed with the Secretary of State and a copy of that statement, report, or other document is required to be filed with the County, the statement may, but is not required to, be filed electronically with the local filing officer.

E. This requirement does not apply to any elected officer or candidate who receives contributions totaling less than $2,000.00 and makes expenditures totaling less than $2,000.00, in a calendar year, or in any other amount specified by Government Code § 84615 as it may be amended from time to time.

(Ord. No. 5157, § 1, 2-1-2022)