Ventura Municipal Code Art. 12 Electronic Filing of Campaign Disclosure Statements

Pursuant to California Government Code Section 84615, the city of San Buenaventura hereby finds that the online or electronic filing system will facilitate the efficient and secure filing of required campaign reports, and that such system will operate securely and effectively and will not unduly burden filers.

A. Whenever any elected officer, candidate, or committee is required to file a campaign statement under the Political Reform Act or the Regulations with the city clerk, the elected officer, candidate, or committee shall file the statement in an electronic format prescribed by the city clerk. All statements shall be filed electronically through termination in accordance with this chapter.

B. Any statement, report, or other document filed electronically or online pursuant to this section will 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 city clerk, and the electronic system will confirm with a timestamp that provides evidence that the statement, report, or other document was received.

D. If access to online filings has not been prescribed in a timely manner, the elected city officer, candidate, or committee may file an original statement by paper, at the discretion of the filing officer.

E. The provisions of this subsection shall apply only to persons or combinations of persons who qualify as a committee under Government Code Section 82013.

F. The online or electronic filing system shall be in compliance with the format developed by the Secretary of State pursuant to Government Code Section 84602(a)(2) and maintained by the city clerk for these purposes.

G. Late Filing Penalties. In addition to any late filing penalties that may be imposed for the late filing of a paper copy pursuant to the California Political Reform Act or to other provisions of this chapter, the person who fails to comply with the online filing requirement of this section shall be subject to an additional late filing penalty of $25.00 per day per applicable contribution or expenditure after the deadline for the filing of the online copy. (Ord. No. 2021-015, § 2, 12-13-21)

Pursuant to Section 2.215.730, Disclosure of occupation and employer, no contribution of $25.00 or more shall be deposited into a campaign checking account unless the name, address, occupation, and employer of the contributor is on file in the records of the recipient of the contribution. All campaign statements filed with the city clerk will list the names, occupations, and employers of all contributors of $25.00 or more. (Ord. No. 2021-015, § 2, 12-13-21)

A. Enabling electronic filing of campaign filings will ensure the city’s compliance with Government Code Section 84616, which requires a local government agency to post on its internet website, within 72 hours of the applicable filing deadline, a copy of any specified statement, report, or other document filed. If the final day of the 72-hour period is a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, the period is extended to the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday.

B. Before posting, the city clerk shall redact the street name and building number of the persons or entity representatives listed on any statement, report, or document, or any bank account number required to be disclosed by the filer.

C. Providing a link on the city’s internet website to the statement, report, or other document satisfies this section.

D. All campaign filings must be made available for four years from the date of the election associated with the filing. (Ord. No. 2021-015, § 2, 12-13-21)