A. 
All County campaign statements required to be filed with the Registrar of Voters pursuant to this chapter shall contain the following information:
1. 
The information required by Government Code Section 84211 and any administrative regulations adopted pursuant thereto; and
2. 
Any information required by the Registrar of Voters.
B. 
All County campaign statements required to be filed with the Registrar of Voters pursuant to this chapter shall be on a form prescribed by the Registrar of Voters.
(SCC 672 § 1, 1986; SCC 683 § 1, 1987; SCC 1642 § 15, 2019)
A. 
Within 90 days after an election for County elective office, each candidate shall file a County campaign statement with the Registrar of Voters itemizing all campaign contributions to the candidate, all campaign expenditures by the candidate and any surplus funds. The County campaign statement required by this section shall include all required information current up through five calendar days before the date of filing.
(SCC 672 § 1, 1986; SCC 683 § 1, 1987; SCC 1642 § 15, 2019)
A. 
All County campaign statements filed under this chapter shall be signed under penalty of perjury and verified by both the candidate and the campaign treasurer. The verification shall state that the candidate and the campaign treasurer have used all reasonable diligence in its preparation, and that to the best of their knowledge it is true and complete.
B. 
A campaign treasurer to comply with his or her duties with respect to the preparation of County campaign statements shall:
1. 
Establish a system of record keeping sufficient to ensure that receipts and expenditures are recorded promptly and accurately;
2. 
Either maintain the records personally or monitor such record keeping by others;
3. 
Take steps to ensure that all requirements of this chapter concerning the receipt and expenditure of funds and the reporting of such funds are complied with;
4. 
Either prepare County campaign statements personally or review with care the County campaign statements and underlying records prepared by others;
5. 
Correct any inaccuracies or omissions in County campaign statements of which the treasurer knows, and cause to be checked, and, if necessary, corrected, any information in County campaign statements which a person of reasonable prudence would question based on all the surrounding circumstances of which the treasurer is aware or should be aware by reason of his or her duties under this chapter.
C. 
A candidate to comply with his or her duties with respect to the preparation of County campaign statements shall:
1. 
Ascertain whether the treasurer is exercising all reasonable diligence in the performance of his or her duties including those duties specified under subsection B;
2. 
Take whatever steps are necessary to replace the treasurer, or raise the treasurer's performance to required standards, if the candidate knows or has reason to know that the treasurer is not exercising all reasonable diligence in the performance of his or her duties;
3. 
Review with care the County campaign statements prepared for filing by the treasurer;
4. 
Correct any inaccuracies and omissions in campaign statements of which the candidate knows, and cause to be checked, and, if necessary, corrected, any information in County campaign statements which a person of reasonable prudence would question based on all the surrounding circumstances of which the candidate is aware or should be aware by reason of his or her duties under this chapter; and
5. 
Perform with due care any other tasks assumed in connection with the raising, spending or recording of campaign funds insofar as such tasks relate to the accuracy of information entered on County campaign statements.
(SCC 672 § 1, 1986; SCC 683 § 1, 1987; SCC 1642 § 15, 2019)
A. 
The Board of Supervisors finds that public access to campaign disclosure information is a vital and integral component of a fully informed electorate. Transparency in campaign financing is critical in order to maintain public trust and support of the political process.
B. 
State law requires candidates, persons supporting or opposing ballot measures and certain other types of committees to file campaign finance statements with the Registrar of Voters detailing the sources of contributions and manner of expenditure of contributions. Government Code Section 84615 authorizes local jurisdictions to require the filing of campaign statements and reports solely in an electronic form, with a specified exemption. The purpose of these laws is to assist voters in making informed electoral decisions and to assist in ensuring compliance with campaign contribution laws. In any instance in which the original statement, report, or other document is required to be filed with the Secretary of State and a copy of that statement, report, or other document is required to be filed with the local government agency, the statement may, but is not required to, be filed electronically as provided in Government Code Section 84615.
C. 
Frequently, these disclosure reports are extremely lengthy. Moreover, literally hundreds of such reports are filed with the Registrar of Voters each reporting period. It is difficult for members of the public, the media and elections officials to efficiently review and compare these statements.
D. 
The Board of Supervisors makes the following findings in support of requiring that political committees and candidates that meet certain financial thresholds file their campaign statements electronically:
1. 
An electronic system reduces paper waste and time spent processing and storing paper filings, so that efforts can be focused on helping filers comply with filing requirements.
2. 
An electronic system is not unduly burdensome on candidates in that it reduces the need for candidates to print out and physically mail statements to the Registrar of Voters.
3. 
The system used by the County contains multiple safeguards to protect the integrity and security of the data.
4. 
An electronic system streamlines the filing process, by storing information previously entered, calculating numbers, and helping catch errors before filings are submitted, thereby reducing the need to file amendments.
5. 
Once the statements are placed online, they are available for public viewing free of charge and allow the public to search reports by field, including, but not limited to, election, candidate, date, contributor and expenditure.
(SCC 1594 § 1, 2016)
A. 
Whenever any elected officer, candidate or committee is required by the California Political Reform Act to file a semi-annual campaign statement, a pre-election campaign statement, an amended campaign statement, a supplemental pre-election campaign statement, a report disclosing a contribution received by or made to a candidate, local ballot measure, or an independent expenditure made for or against a candidate or local ballot measure, of $1,000.00 or more, or in any other amount specified by Government Code Section 84615 as it may be amended from time to time, during an election cycle with the Registrar of Voters, it shall be filed electronically. The elected officer, candidate or committee shall file the statement using the electronic filing system available on the Registrar of Voters' website. The street or address or building number of the persons or entity representatives, or any bank account number, shall not be displayed online.
B. 
Statements or reports that are filed electronically with the Registrar of Voters pursuant to this section need not also be filed in a paper format.
C. 
If the original statement, report, or other document is required to be filed with the Secretary of State and a copy of that statement, report, or other document is required to be filed with the County, the statement may, but is not required to, be filed electronically with the Registrar of Voters.
D. 
This requirement does not apply to any elected officer or candidate who receives contributions totaling less than $1,000.00 and makes expenditures totaling less than $1,000.00, in a calendar year, or in any other amount specified by Government Code Section 84615 as it may be amended from time to time.
(SCC 1594 § 2, 2016)
A. 
Any person who files an electronic copy of a statement or report required by this article after the deadline imposed by the California Political Reform Act for filing the written copy of the statement or report shall be liable in the same amount and on the same terms as set forth in the Act for late filing of the written copy of the campaign statement or report.
B. 
Any person required to file an electronic copy of a statement or report who does not do so by the deadline imposed by the California Political Reform Act shall be notified by the Registrar of Voters of that failure no later than the expiration of 10 days following the deadline to file the statement or report. The Registrar of Voters shall notify such persons that the matter will be referred to the Sacramento County District Attorney and the Fair Political Practices Commission if the required electronic statement is not filed by the end of the 20th day following the deadline to file the electronic statement or report. The notification shall be made at the telephone number, fax line or email address on the "Campaign Statement Reporting Notification" form provided by the Registrar of Voters.
(SCC 1594 § 3, 2016)
A. 
It shall be the duty of the Registrar of Voters to determine whether required County campaign statements have been filed. In order to fulfill this duty, if the Registrar of Voters is aware that a candidate has an obligation to file a County campaign statement and has failed to do so, the Registrar of Voters shall notify the candidate of the obligation to file a County campaign statement. In determining whether required documents have been filed, the Registrar of Voters shall not be required to conduct any investigation to determine whether or not a candidate has an obligation to file a County campaign statement.
B. 
It shall be the duty of the Registrar of Voters to determine whether County campaign statements filed conform on their face with the requirements of this chapter.
1. 
The Registrar of Voters, in determining whether County campaign statements conform on their face with the requirements of this chapter, shall not be required to seek or obtain information to verify entries on a County campaign statement.
2. 
The Registrar of Voters, in determining whether County campaign statements conform on their face with the requirements of this chapter, shall review:
a. 
All statements to ensure that they contain the full name, residential and business addresses and phone number of the candidate and the campaign treasurer.
b. 
All statements to ensure that they have been signed, dated and verified by the candidate and the campaign treasurer.
c. 
All statements to ensure that they are legible, are printed in ink or typewritten, and that reasonable reproductions can be made.
d. 
All statements to ensure that beginning and closing dates for the statement which are prescribed by law are accurate.
e. 
All statements to ensure that the following information is contained in the statement:
i. 
The total amount of contributions received during the period and the cumulative total amount of contributions.
ii. 
The total amount of campaign expenditures made during the period and the cumulative total amount of campaign expenditures.
iii. 
The total amount of contributions received from persons who have given $100 or more.
iv. 
The total amount of contributions received from persons who have given less than $100.
v. 
The total amount of campaign expenditures of $100 or more.
vi. 
The total amount of campaign expenditures under $100.
vii. 
The total amount of accrued expenses of $100 or more.
viii. 
The total amount of accrued expenses of less than $100.
ix. 
The balance of cash and cash equivalents on hand at the beginning and end of the period.
x. 
For each person listed as contributor or lender of a cumulative amount of $100 or more, the complete name, address, occupation and employer, if any (or name of business if described as self-employed), cumulative amount contributed, date and amount of contribution, and if the contribution is a loan, the written agreement required by Section 2.115.360.
xi. 
For each recipient committee listed as a contributor or lender of a cumulative amount of $100 or more, in addition to the information specified in subsection (x) above, the identification number assigned to the committee by the Secretary of State or the full name and address of the treasurer of the committee.
xii. 
The following information must be provided for campaign expenditures of $100 or more during the period: the complete name of the payee, the address, the amount of each expenditure, a brief description of the consideration for which the campaign expenditure was made and, if the statement indicates a person other than the payee provided the consideration, the complete name and address of the person providing the consideration.
xiii. 
The following information must be provided for accrued expenses of $100 or more during the period: the complete name of the payee, the address, the amount of each expenditure, a brief description of the consideration for which the campaign expenditure was made and, if the statement indicates a person other than the payee provided the consideration, the complete name and address of the person providing the consideration.
xiv. 
For each committee listed as a recipient of a campaign expenditure of $100 or more, in addition to the information specified in subsection (x) above, the identification number assigned to the committee by the Secretary of State or the full name and address of the treasurer of the committee.
xv. 
The information required by subsection A of Section 2.115.545.
f. 
All statements to ensure that there are no gross or readily apparent errors in arithmetic calculations.
C. 
It shall be the duty of the Registrar of Voters to accept for filing any County campaign statement which this chapter requires to be filed. In those cases where the Registrar of Voters discovers in his or her review of County campaign statements that a candidate has filed an incorrect, incomplete or illegible statement, or a statement which cannot be reproduced, he or she shall promptly notify the candidate of the error or omission. However, no notification is required in those cases in which the errors or omissions are minor ones which do not recur throughout the statement. An error or omission in connection with the identification of a donor or intermediary is minor if such person is identified by name and either street address, occupation, employer or principal place of business. An error or omission in connection with the identification of the recipient of an expenditure or person providing consideration for an expenditure is minor if such person is identified by name.
D. 
Notwithstanding the provisions relating to minor errors or omissions set forth in subsection C, a contribution of $100 or more shall not qualify for purposes of receiving funds from the Campaign Reform Fund pursuant to Section 2.115.540 unless the candidate's County campaign statement includes the following information with respect to each such contribution: the complete name, address, occupation, and employer, if any, (or name of business if self-employed), of the donor or intermediary.
(SCC 672 § 1, 1986; SCC 683 § 1, 1987; SCC 1642 § 16, 2019)
A. 
The Auditor-Controller may make, or have made, investigations or audits with respect to any County campaign statements required by this chapter, or any campaign accounts for either County or non-County elective office maintained by any candidate, at any time between the last day for filing a Declaration of Candidacy for a County elective office and one year following the date of the election in which a candidate is elected to that County elective office.
B. 
Each candidate who receives money from the Campaign Reform Fund shall be subject to audit on a random basis with these candidates having a 50% chance of being audited.
C. 
Any candidate whose campaign statements are subject to an investigation or audit by the Auditor-Controller shall provide the Auditor-Controller with all financial records, documents and any other information or material requested by the Auditor-Controller.
(SCC 683 § 1, 1987; SCC 1642 § 16, 2019)