TO: LOCAL CANDIDATES, PARTIES, BALLOT ISSUE PACS
FROM: CHARLIE
SMITHSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & COUNSEL
IOWA ETHICS AND CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
BOARD
510 EAST 12TH ST, SUITE 1A
DES MOINES IA 50319
Re: CAMPAIGN FINANCE ISSUES
The Iowa Ethics and Campaign
Disclosure Board administers the campaign laws in Iowa Code chapter 68A. These
laws apply to candidates for local office, political committees (PACs) involved
in campaigns for candidates or ballot issues, and party committees.
1. The Board's Web site allows
you to view and download a variety of campaign finance information at
www.state.ia.us/ethics. Click on Campaigns on the main menu and then
select your committee type from the following index.
2. Contact information: local
candidates and PACs contact Sue Micllef at (515) 281-4104 or email at sue.micllef@iowa.gov. County central committees contact Sandy Reier at
(515) 281-4411 or email at
sandy.reier@iowa.gov. You may contact me at (515) 281-3489, cell phone at
(515) 681-2354, or email at
charlie.smithson@iowa.gov.
3. A committee is registered by
filing a statement of organization (DR-1). The form must be filed within 10
days of receiving contributions, making expenditures, or incurring debts in
excess of $750 (a debt is incurred when an item is ordered). If you are not
going to cross the $750 threshold, but want to use the shorter "paid for by"
attribution (see #7 below) you can file Form DR-SFA.
4. Know your committee campaign
report due dates. Once you have filed a DR-1, you must start and continue
filing reports until you dissolve your committee. Reports must be filed
with the Board on or before each due date as penalties are assessed for late
reports. Reports may be hand-delivered, mailed, faxed, emailed as an
attachment, or filed electronically via the Internet (contact the Board for
help). Filed reports are available for viewing on the Board's Web site.
5. Remember that if an
organization gives your committee in excess of $750, that organization has
separate filing requirements and they should immediately contact the Board for
assistance.
6. Do not accept contributions
from corporations, insurance companies, or financial institutions (NOTE: this
prohibition does not apply to ballot issue PACs).
7. Put the words "paid for by"
and the name of who paid for the material on all political materials (see Iowa
Code section 68A.405 and rule 351-4.38). A "paid for by" attribution must be
placed even if a committee has not yet registered (the "paid for by" must
include the name and address of the person paying for the material). If the
material is paid for by a registered committee, only the name of the committee
needs to be placed after the words "paid for by." Campaign signs and other
items are exempt, so read the law and rules carefully.
8. Review the campaign laws in
Chapter 68A and the Board's rules on campaigning in Chapter
4.
