Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes > Chapter 155 - Elections: Campaign Financing

• Affiliated: includes entities that are an affiliate of the other entity or where both of the entities are an affiliate of the same entity. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Agent: means a person authorized to act for or in place of another. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
• another: may extend and be applied to communities, companies, corporations, public or private, limited liability companies, societies and associations. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• banks: shall include all incorporated banks. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
• Bundle: means the forwarding of five or more contributions to a single committee by a communicator lobbyist, an agent of such lobbyist, or a member of the immediate family of such lobbyist, or raising contributions for a committee at a fundraising affair held by, sponsored by, or hosted by a communicator lobbyist or an agent of such lobbyist, or a member of the immediate family of such lobbyist. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Business entity: means the following, whether organized in or outside of this state: Stock corporations, banks, insurance companies, business associations, bankers associations, insurance associations, trade or professional associations which receive funds from membership dues and other sources, partnerships, joint ventures, private foundations, as defined in Section 509 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Business with which he is associated: means any business in which the contributor is a director, officer, owner, limited or general partner or holder of stock constituting five per cent or more of the total outstanding stock of any class. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Candidate: means an individual who seeks nomination for election or election to public office whether or not such individual is elected, and for the purposes of this chapter and chapter 157, an individual shall be deemed to seek nomination for election or election if such individual has (A) been endorsed by a party or become eligible for a position on the ballot at an election or primary, or (B) solicited or received contributions, other than for a party committee, made expenditures or given such individual's consent to any other person, other than a party committee, to solicit or receive contributions or make expenditures with the intent to bring about such individual's nomination for election or election to any such office. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• candidate committee: includes candidate committees for participating and nonparticipating candidates, unless the context of a provision clearly indicates otherwise. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Caucus: From the Algonquian Indian language, a caucus meant "to meet together." An informal organization of members of the legislature that exists to discuss issues of mutual concern and possibly to perform legislative research and policy planning for its members. There are regional, political or ideological, ethnic, and economic-based caucuses.
• Child care services: means services rendered to a candidate for the care of any child who is under thirteen years of age and for whom such candidate is the parent or legal guardian, which services are necessary as a direct result of campaign activity that would not exist but for such candidate's campaign. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• clerk of the municipality: means the town clerk in or for the municipality to which reference is made, unless otherwise provided by charter or special act. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1a
• Committee: means a party committee, political committee or a candidate committee organized, as the case may be, for a single primary, election or referendum, or for ongoing political activities, to aid or promote the success or defeat of any political party, any one or more candidates for public office or the position of town committee member or any referendum question. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• contribution: means :

  (1) Any gift, subscription, loan, advance, payment or deposit of money or anything of value, made to promote the success or defeat of any candidate seeking the nomination for election, or election or for the purpose of aiding or promoting the success or defeat of any referendum question or the success or defeat of any political party. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601a

• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Covered transfer: means any donation, transfer or payment of funds by a person to another person if the person receiving the donation, transfer or payment makes independent expenditures or transfers funds to another person who makes independent expenditures. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Deputy treasurer: means the individual appointed by the candidate or by the chairperson of a committee to serve in the capacity of the treasurer if the treasurer is unable to perform the treasurer's duties. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Election: means any electors' meeting at which the electors choose public officials by use of voting tabulators or by paper ballots as provided in section 9-272. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
• Elector: means any person possessing the qualifications prescribed by the Constitution and duly admitted to, and entitled to exercise, the privileges of an elector in a town. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
• Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. ^{Source: OCC}
• Entity: includes any tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, and any tax-exempt political organization organized under Section 527 of said code. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• expenditure: means :

  (1) Any purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value, when made to promote the success or defeat of any candidate seeking the nomination for election, or election, of any person or for the purpose of aiding or promoting the success or defeat of any referendum question or the success or defeat of any political party. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601b

• Expense incurred but not paid: means any receipt of goods or services for which payment is required but not made or a written contract, promise or agreement to make an expenditure. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601b
• Exploratory committee: means a committee established by a candidate for a single primary or election (A) to determine whether to seek nomination or election to (i) the General Assembly, (ii) a state office, as defined in subsection (e) of section 9-610, or (iii) any other public office, and (B) if applicable, to aid or promote such candidate's candidacy for nomination to the General Assembly or any such state office. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
• Federal account: means a depository account that is subject to the disclosure and contribution limits provided under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended from time to time. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. ^{Source: OCC}
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Immediate family: means the spouse or a dependent child of an individual. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• independent expenditure: means an expenditure, as defined in section 9-601b, that is made without the consent, coordination, or consultation of, a candidate or agent of the candidate, candidate committee, political committee or party committee. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601c
• Individual: means a human being, a sole proprietorship, or a professional service corporation organized under chapter 594a and owned by a single human being. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• Legislative caucus committee: means a committee established under subdivision (2) of subsection (e) of section 9-605 by the majority of the members of a political party who are also state representatives or state senators. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Legislative leadership committee: means a committee established under subdivision (3) of subsection (e) of section 9-605 by a leader of the General Assembly. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Legislative session: That part of a chamber's daily session in which it considers legislative business (bills, resolutions, and actions related thereto).
• Lobbyist: means a lobbyist, as defined in section 1-91, and "communicator lobbyist" means a communicator lobbyist, as defined in section 1-91, and "client lobbyist" means a client lobbyist, as defined in section 1-91. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Majority leader: see Floor Leaders
• Minority leader: See Floor Leaders
• month: means a calendar month, and the word "year" means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
• Municipal election: means the regularly recurring election held in a municipality at which the electors of the municipality choose public officials of such municipality. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
• Municipality: means any city, borough or town within the state. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
• National Bank: A bank that is subject to the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department. A national bank can be recognized because it must have "national" or "national association" in its name. ^{Source: OCC}
• National committee: means the organization which according to the bylaws of a political party is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the party at the national level. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Organization: means all labor organizations, (A) as defined in the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, as from time to time amended, or (B) as defined in subdivision (9) of section 31-101, employee organizations as defined in subsection (d) of section 5-270 and subdivision (6) of section 7-467, bargaining representative organizations for teachers, any local, state or national organization, to which a labor organization pays membership or per capita fees, based upon its affiliation or membership, and trade or professional associations which receive their funds exclusively from membership dues, whether organized in or outside of this state, but does not mean a candidate committee, party committee or a political committee. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Organization expenditure: means an expenditure by a party committee, legislative caucus committee or legislative leadership committee for the benefit of a candidate or candidate committee for:

  (A) The preparation, display or mailing or other distribution of a party candidate listing. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601

• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• party candidate listing: means any communication that meets the following criteria: (i) The communication lists the name or names of candidates for election to public office, (ii) the communication is distributed through public advertising such as broadcast stations, cable television, newspapers or similar media, or through direct mail, telephone, electronic mail, publicly accessible sites on the Internet or personal delivery, and (iii) the communication is made to promote the success or defeat of any candidate or slate of candidates seeking the nomination for election, or election or for the purpose of aiding or promoting the success or defeat of any referendum question or the success or defeat of any political party, provided such communication is not a solicitation for or on behalf of a candidate committee. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Party committee: means a state central committee or a town committee. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Person: means an individual, committee, firm, partnership, organization, association, syndicate, company trust, corporation, limited liability company or any other legal entity of any kind but does not mean the state or any political or administrative subdivision of the state. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• Political committee: means (A) a committee organized by a business entity or organization, (B) persons other than individuals, or two or more individuals organized or acting jointly conducting their activities in or outside the state, (C) an exploratory committee, (D) a committee established by or on behalf of a slate of candidates in a primary for the office of justice of the peace, but does not mean a candidate committee or a party committee, (E) a legislative caucus committee, or (F) a legislative leadership committee. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• President pro tempore: A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time") is elected by the Senate and is, by custom, the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service.
• Presidential electors: means persons elected to cast their ballots for President and Vice President of the United States. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
• Print: means methods of duplication of words by mechanical process, but shall not include typewriting. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
• Probate: Proving a will
• Public funds: means funds belonging to, or under the control of, the state or a political subdivision of the state. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Referendum: means (1) a question or proposal which is submitted to a vote of the electors or voters of a municipality at any regular or special state or municipal election, as defined in this section, (2) a question or proposal which is submitted to a vote of the electors or voters, as the case may be, of a municipality at a meeting of such electors or voters, which meeting is not an election, as defined in subsection (d) of this section, and is not a town meeting, or (3) a question or proposal which is submitted to a vote of the electors or voters, as the case may be, of a municipality at a meeting of such electors or voters pursuant to section 7-7 or pursuant to charter or special act. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
• Referendum question: means a question to be voted upon at any election or referendum, including a proposed constitutional amendment. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Regular election: means any state or municipal election. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Slate committee: means a political committee formed by two or more candidates for nomination or election to any municipal office in the same town, city or borough, or in a primary for the office of justice of the peace or the position of town committee member, whenever such political committee will serve as the sole funding vehicle for the candidates' campaigns. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Social media: means an electronic medium where users may create and view user-generated content, such as uploaded or downloaded videos or still photographs, blogs, video blogs, podcasts or instant messages. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Solicit: means (A) requesting that a contribution be made, (B) participating in any fundraising activities for a candidate committee, exploratory committee, political committee or party committee, including, but not limited to, forwarding tickets to potential contributors, receiving contributions for transmission to any such committee, serving on the committee that is hosting a fundraising event, introducing the candidate or making other public remarks at a fundraising event, being honored or otherwise recognized at a fundraising event, or bundling contributions, (C) serving as chairperson, treasurer or deputy treasurer of any such committee, or (D) establishing a political committee for the sole purpose of soliciting or receiving contributions for any committee. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Solicitor: means an individual appointed by a treasurer of a committee to receive, but not to disburse, funds on behalf of the committee. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Special election: means any election not a regular election. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
• State election: means the election held in the state on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in the even-numbered years in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of Connecticut. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
• State officers: means the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller and Attorney General. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Subpoena duces tecum: A command to a witness to produce documents.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
• Treasurer: means the individual appointed by a candidate or by the chairperson of a party committee or a political committee to receive and disburse funds on behalf of the candidate or committee. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-601
• Voter: means a person qualified to vote at town and district meetings under the provisions of section 7-6. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
• Voters: means those persons qualified to vote under the provisions of section 7-6. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
• Voting district: means any municipality, or any political subdivision thereof, having not more than one polling place in a regular election. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1