South Carolina Code 8-13-1304. Committees receiving and spending funds to influence elections required to file statement of organization
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(A) A committee, except an out-of-state committee, which receives or expends more than five hundred dollars in the aggregate during an election cycle to influence the outcome of an elective office must file a statement of organization with the State Ethics Commission no later than five days after receiving the contribution or making the expenditure. An out-of-state committee which expends more than five hundred dollars in the aggregate during an election cycle to influence the outcome of an elective office must file a statement of organization with the State Ethics Commission no later than five days after making the expenditure.
(B) A ballot measure committee, except an out-of-state ballot measure committee, which receives or expends more than two thousand five hundred dollars in the aggregate during an election cycle to influence the outcome of a ballot measure must file a statement of organization with the State Ethics Commission no later than five days after receiving the contribution or making the expenditure. An out-of-state ballot measure committee which expends more than two thousand five hundred dollars in the aggregate during an election cycle to influence the outcome of a ballot measure must file a statement of organization with the State Ethics Commission no later than five days after making the expenditure.
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 8-13-1304
- Ballot measure: means a referendum, proposition, or measure submitted to voters for their approval. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
- Ballot measure committee: means :
(a) an association, club, an organization, or a group of persons which, to influence the outcome of a ballot measure, receives contributions or makes expenditures in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars in the aggregate during an election cycle;
(b) a person, other than an individual, who, to influence the outcome of a ballot measure, makes contributions aggregating at least fifty thousand dollars during an election cycle to or at the request of a ballot measure committee; or
(c) a person, other than an individual, who, to influence the outcome of a ballot measure, makes independent expenditures aggregating two thousand five hundred dollars or more during an election cycle. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300 - Committee: includes a party committee, a legislative caucus committee, a noncandidate committee, or a committee that is not a campaign committee for a candidate but that is organized for the purpose of influencing an election. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
- Contribution: means a gift, subscription, loan, guarantee upon which collection is made, forgiveness of a loan, an advance, in-kind contribution or expenditure, a deposit of money, or anything of value made to a candidate or committee to influence an election; or payment or compensation for the personal service of another person which is rendered for any purpose to a candidate or committee without charge, whether any of the above are made or offered directly or indirectly. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
- Election: means :
(a) a general, special, primary, or runoff election;
(b) a convention or caucus of a political party held to nominate a candidate; or
(c) the election of delegates to a constitutional convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of this State. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300 - Election cycle: means the period of a term of office beginning on the day after the general election for the office, up to and including the following general election for the same office, including a primary, special primary, or special election; however, the contribution limits under §§ 8-13-1314 and 8-13-1316 apply only to elections occurring on or after January 1, 1992, and are for each primary, runoff, or special election in which a candidate has opposition and for each general election. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
- Elective office: includes the office of probate judge. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
- Expenditure: means a purchase, payment, loan, forgiveness of a loan, an advance, in-kind contribution or expenditure, a deposit, transfer of funds, gift of money, or anything of value for any purpose. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300
- Influence the outcome of an elective office: means :
(a) expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate using words including or substantially similar to "vote for" "elect" "cast your ballot for" "Smith for Governor" "vote against" " defeat" or "reject";
(b) communicating campaign slogans or individual words that, taken in context, have no other reasonable meaning other than to urge the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate including or substantially similar to slogans or words such as "Smith's the One" "Jones 2000" "Smith/Jones" "Jones!" or "Smith-A man for the People!"; or
(c) any communication made, not more than forty-five days before an election, which promotes or supports a candidate or attacks or opposes a candidate, regardless of whether the communication expressly advocates a vote for or against a candidate. See South Carolina Code 8-13-1300