FPPC offers guidance on campaign filing deadlines in wake of COVID-19

SACRAMENTO » The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) issued an advisory on Friday acknowledging that in light of the Statewide shelter-inplace order, filing of campaign statements and reports will be difficult.

The FPPC said in a news release that it is still encouraging candidates and committees to continue to make the best efforts to timely disclose campaign activity to the public. State and local candidates are encouraged to make use of electronic filing options, if available.

All candidates and committees that file campaign statements and reports with the Secretary of State’s office (SOS) may use SOS’s online filing system. Local candidates and committees should contact their local filing officers to determine if electronic filing is available in their jurisdiction.

“It obviously would not be a good use of our enforcement resources to focus time and energy prosecuting violations that are clearly and demonstrably caused by conditions created by the pandemic,” said FPPC Chair Richard C. Miadich, in the same release. “We want to be as flexible and realistic as possible to help campaigns comply while also providing the public the information needed to make informed decisions.”

The law requires certain statements and reports be filed with original signatures. Officials said they recognize restrictions imposed to fight the spread of COVID-19 may make the logistics of filing documents on paper with original signatures difficult or even impossible.

Paper statements with originals would need to be filed when feasible. If circumstances caused by COVID-19 inhibit a candidate’s or committee’s ability to timely file statements and reports, candidates and committees should communicate these issues to their filing officers and document all attempts to file and the issues faced.

If a candidate or committee makes best efforts to comply with the Political Reform Act’s campaign finance disclosure rules but is unable to do so due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FPPC will consider this a strong mitigating factor in determining whether an enforcement action against the candidate or committee is appropriate.

Questions or concerns above campaign filing obligations, can be emailed to advice@fppc.ca.gov.