Campaign finance requirements for Nebraska judicial elections
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The Commission has an online database that lists all campaign finance reports of judicial retention campaign committees registered in the State of Nebraska during a certain election cycle.
If someone feels that a person violated Nebraska campaign finance laws, then a complaint can be filed by the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission. Once a complaint is filed, the commission fully investigates the complaint. The Commission holds a probable cause hearing to determine if campaign finance laws were violated.[1] If someone is found guilty of violating campaign finance law, the Commission, in most cases, imposes a monetary fine for civil law violations.[1] All matters involving violations of criminal law are referred to the Nebraska Attorney General's Office for further prosecution.[2]
General requirements
Candidate
Any judge running for retention is considered to be a candidate[3].
Candidate committee
Any committee authorized to retain a judicial candidate is considered to be a candidate committee[4].
Retention
Any judge in Nebraska must run for retention at the next general election within three years of his or her appointment and every six years thereafter[5].
Statement of organization
Any judicial retention campaign that plans to spend or raise $5,000 or more must register with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission[6].
Campaign finance requirements
$50 cash limit
Under Nebraska law, campaign contributions or expenditures of $50 or more cannot be done with cash[7].
Corporate/labor union contributions
Nebraska allows corporations and labor unions to donate to judicial campaigns in the State of Nebraska.
Phone call disclosure
Under Nebraska law, any phone calls made for get-out-the-vote efforts must state at the beginning of the phone call the person or organization who paid for the phone calls[8].
Reporting requirements and reports
During an a election year, candidate committees are required to file six reports during the year.
1st Primary Statement
The first primary statement for candidate committees covers all campaign finance activity from January 1, 2010 to April 6, 2010. The report is due on April 12, 2010[9].
2nd Primary Statement
The second primary statement for candidate committees covers all campaign finance activity from April 7 to April 26, 2010. The report is due on May 3, 2010[9].
3rd Primary Statement
The second primary statement for candidate committees covers all campaign finance activity from April 27 to June 15, 2010. The report is due on June 21, 2010[9].
1st General Statement
The 1st general election statement covers all activity from June 16 to September 28, 2010. The report is due on October 4, 2010[9].
Pre-Election Statement
The pre-election statement is the last statement before the election for judicial retention committees in Nebraska. This report covers all activity from September 29 to October 18, 2010. The report is due on October 25, 2010[9].
Post-Election Statement
The post-election statement is the final campaign finance report for judicial retentioncommittees in Nebraska. This report covers all activity from October 19 to October 31, 2010. The report is due on January 11, 2011[9].
Campaign advertising restrictions
All advertisements for the retention of a judicial candidate must have a disclaimer. The disclaimer must have the contact information of the person who pays for the ad and must have this information for six months after the ad was first published or released[10].
Terminating a committee
Under Nebraska law, a candidate committee can terminate by filing a statement of dissolution with the Commission. Upon filing the statement, a committee must have paid all outstanding fees, penalties, and interest which may be owed and be in full compliance with the rules and regulations of the commission for dissolution of committees. A committee may be also dissolved if the Commission determines that fees, penalties, and interest owed by a committee are uncollectable[11]. Surplus funds can be sent to a candidate committee, a political party committee, or a tax-exempt charitable institution (listed under the IRS code) or may return such unexpended funds to the donors of the committee upon full dissolution[12].
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission "Enforcement Procedure"
- ↑ "Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission" Nebraska Campaign Finance Law(Referenced Statute 49-14,124.02 Nebraska Law)
- ↑ NADC "Nebraska Campaign Finance Law"(Referenced Statute 49-1409 Nebraska Law)
- ↑ NADC "Nebraska Campaign Finance Law"(Referenced Statute 49-1410 Nebraska Law)
- ↑ Nebraska Supreme Court "Voters’ Guide to Nebraska’s Judicial Retention Elections"(See What is a Retention Election?)
- ↑ [Confirmed with NADC via phone on 6/24/2010]
- ↑ NADC "Nebraska Campaign Finance Law"(Referenced Statute 49-1471 Nebraska Law)
- ↑ NADC "Nebraska Campaign Finance Law"(Referenced Statute 49-1474.02 Nebraska Law)
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission "2010 Campaign Finance Deadlines"
- ↑ NADC "Nebraska Campaign Finance Law"(Referenced Statute 49-1474.01(1)(2) Nebraska Law)
- ↑ NADC "Nebraska Campaign Finance Law"(Referenced Statute 49-1453 Nebraska Law)
- ↑ NADC "Nebraska Campaign Finance Law"(Referenced Statute 49-1466 Nebraska Law)
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