| For Immediate Release August 31, 2004 |
Contact: Cindi Canary
|
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE LAWS EXPAND TO
INDEPENDENT GROUPS BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 2nd
Beginning September 3rd and running through the November 2nd General Election, non-candidate organizations involved in election campaigns must publicly disclose the source of their funds and how they are spent to communicate with voters.
The "Electioneering Communication" provision was included in reform legislation enacted last year. It mandates that anyone spending more than $3,000 within 60 days before the General Election on communications which feature the name or likeness of a candidate must follow the requirements of the state's Campaign Disclosure Act and file the appropriate public reports with the State Board of Elections. The new law also covers similar expenses within 30 days before a primary election.
"Election campaigns are no longer simply waged by one candidate against another," said Cynthia Canary, Director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. Today, some of the nastiest election rhetoric comes from special interest lobbies and individuals spending large amounts of money to mail literature and broadcast commercials aimed directly at voters.
"Although they may bypass a candidate's official campaign organization, no longer can they bypass state laws requiring full disclosure of the sources of campaign funds and how they are spent," Canary said.
Electioneering communication can take any form, including radio and television commercials, newspaper advertisements, direct mail and e-mail, and it must refer to a candidate, a political party or a question of public policy on that election ballot. It does not include newspaper editorials, ads that promote candidate debates and non-partisan efforts to encourage voter turnout.
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