Local

A candidate for a public office or the chairperson or treasurer of such candidate’s campaign committee shall sign and file the required disclosure reports with the election superintendent in the county of election or with the municipal clerk in the municipality of election or, if there is no clerk, with the chief executive officer of the municipality, however, that a municipality and a county may enter into an agreement whereby such candidates, chairpersons, or treasurers shall file the required disclosure with the county election superintendent instead. Reference O.C.G.A. § 21-5-34 (a)(3)&(4).

No agency and no person acting on behalf of an agency shall make, directly or indirectly, any contribution to any campaign committee, political action committee, or political organization or to any candidate; but nothing in this Code section shall prohibit the furnishing of office space, facilities, equipment, goods, or services to a public officer for use by the public officer in such officer’s fulfillment of such office. Reference O.C.G.A. § 21-5-30.2(b)

WHAT IS FILED WITH THE LOCAL FILING ENTITY?

• Declaration of Intention to Accept Campaign Contributions—Form DOI
• Campaign Contribution Disclosure Reports—CCDR
• Personal Financial Disclosure Statement—PFD
• Two Business Day Reports—TBD
• Affidavit of A Candidate’s Intent Not To Exceed $2,500.00 in Contributions and/or Expenditures
• Final Report and Termination Statement

FILING SCHEDULE FOR LOCAL FILERS

Campaign Contributions Disclosure Reports

Filers who do not exceed $2,500 in contributions or expenditures:

• Must file written notice that candidate does not intend to accept during the election cycle contributions exceeding $2,500 nor make expenditures exceeding $2,500 during the election cycle.
• Candidate is not required to file any Campaign Contribution Disclosure Reports during the election year.

Filers who exceed $2,500 in contributions or expenditures, but do not exceed $5,000:

Once the filer exceeds $2,500.00, the filer is required to file Campaign Contribution Disclosure Reports in accordance with the following schedule each calendar year.

Election Year

• June 30th
• December 31st

Non-Election Year

• January 31
• June 30

Filers who exceed $5,000 in contributions or expenditures

• Subject to the reporting requirements of O.C.G.A. 21-5-34(c)

Reference O.C.G.A. § 21-5-34 (d.1)(1)

Personal Financial Disclosure Statements

• Election Year: No later than 15 days after Qualifying
• Non Election Year: Not before January 1 and no later than July 1

Reference O.C.G.A. § 21-5-50 (3.1)

Two Business Day Report

• Two Business Days

Reference O.C.G.A. § 21-5-34 (c)(2)(C) and Rule 189-3-.12

Final Report and Termination Statement

• within 10 days of the dissolution of a campaign

Reference O.C.G.A. § 21-5-34 (m)

ONCE A DOCUMENT IS RECEIVED BY THE LOCAL FILING ENTITY…

• Check the document for completion.
• Date stamp when the document is received.
• Maintain reports for public inspection 5 years from received date.
• eFax a copy of each form and report to the Commission.
• Ensure all pages are attached and addressed.
• Retain envelope with document.

EFAX INSTRUCTIONS

Election Superintendents & City Clerks shall transmit by eFax to the Commission the paper copy of:

•  A Declaration of Intention to Accept Campaign Contributions no later than 10 days after receipt of such notice.
• An Affidavit of A Candidate’s Intent Not To Exceed $2,500.00 in Contributions and/or Expenditures no later than 10 days after receipt of such notice.
• A copy of each report:
  • CCDR – efax to the Commission no later than 30 days after the close of each grace period.
  • PFD – efax to the Commission no later than 30 days from the close of the reporting period.
  • TBD – efax to the Commission no later than 10 days from the close of the reporting period.

EFAX NUMBER:  1-866-914-7974
SCAN to EMAIL:  localreports@gaethicsqa.wpengine.com

• DO NOT fax report(s) with a cover page or any additional pages other than the actual report(s).
• Fax ALL pages of the report, even if there is nothing to report on some pages.
• Use original, blank forms provided by the agency dated 2014 or newer. Forms or reports submitted that are not from the Commission will NOT be accepted as a filing that meets the requirements of the ACT.
• There should be NO personal/red flag information on reports such as bank account/routing numbers, social security numbers, driver’s license, etc.
• DO NOT fax more than ONE report at a time.
• DO NOT fax report(s) upside down or backwards.
• You will NOT receive a receipt confirmation under this new system.
• Faxes sent to any other Commission fax number will NOT be processed. Illegible faxes will NOT be processed.
• DO NOT send the original copies to the Commission. Retain these for your records.
• No special equipment is required by you to use our eFax service. Send the faxes from your fax machine to the eFax number provided.
• If you have fax problems, send an email to faxhelp@gaethicsqa.wpengine.com Please include your name, contact information, time of the fax transmission(s) and the fax number you are sending from.

Reference O.C.G.A. § 21-5-34 (a) (3) & (4)

LATE FEES

Late fees are statutory and implemented by the Commission. As well as the certified notification of escalating late fees.

Please send records of any late or non-filers to latefees@gaethicsqa.wpengine.com

Reference O.C.G.A. § 21-5-34 (k) (1) & O.C.G.A. § 21-5-50 (f) (1)
Click here to download/read the Attorney General’s Opinion.