Election & Voting Information Topics
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(668 KB) Regulating Campaign Practices
Michigan regulates campaign practices largely through a law passed in 1976 – The Campaign Finance and Reporting Act.
The basic approach of the act is one of allowing the public to observe the flow of dollars in and out of political committee treasuries. Different committees that may exist are Candidate, Ballot Question, Political Party, Independent and Political committees.
The main mechanisms are rules that require candidates to have:
A campaign committee
A bank account in Michigan
Detailed records that must be reported during and after a campaign
Such committees must be established within 10 days after the person becomes a candidate as the law defines it and then they have 10 days to file the committee. The committee must have a treasurer but the candidate can be the treasurer of her/his own committee.
This campaign finance information becomes available to the public and, more important, to the media and political opponents according to a prescribed schedule.
Filing of pre-election reports are due 11 days before the election and must include the financial data up to the 16th day before the election. Post election reports close 20 days after the election and are due 30 days after the election. An annual statement closes on December 31 and is to be filed by January 31.
Candidate Committees that did not receive or spend more than $1,000 need not disclose the detailed information but they must keep track of it even if they filed the reporting waiver. Failure to meet the report deadlines can result in a penalty of $25.00 per day to a maximum of $300.00. Other committees have similar fees.
Campaign reports for state offices and judicial positions are filed with the secretary of state; all other candidate reports go to the county clerk. However, the act requires the secretary of state to make copies and send them to the clerks of the counties in which the various candidates live.
