STATE ELECTION ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION

Program Goals Program Requirements Grant Application and Amounts Expenditures Supplemental Reporting

Expenditures made or incurred during the period before a primary campaign or general election campaign (the “pre-primary/pre-general election period”) are limited to the required amount of qualifying contributions, plus any allowable personal funds the candidate provides to the candidate committee. This period ends with the commencement of the primary campaign period or the general election campaign period, as discussed below.

For major party gubernatorial candidates, that receive a convention campaign grant, expenditures made during the convention campaign period are limited to the required amount of qualifying contributions, any allowable personal funds and the amount of the convention campaign grant. The convention campaign period begins when a participating candidate files SEEC Form CEP 10 and ends at the close of the candidate’s party state nominating convention.

For candidates for statewide office or the district office of State Senator or State Representative, the primary campaign period begins the day after the close of the state or district convention held to endorse such candidate. For candidates for the municipal office of State Senator or State Representative, the primary campaign period begins the day after the close of the caucus, convention, or town committee meeting held to endorse such candidate. The primary campaign period ends on the day of the primary election.
The primary campaign period limit is calculated by adding the amount of the primary grant, and any unspent qualifying contributions or unspent personal funds provided by the candidate.

If a primary is held, the general election campaign period for the candidate nominated at the primary begins the day after the primary. If there is no primary, the general election campaign period begins the day after the candidate is nominated. The general election campaign period ends the day the campaign treasurer files the final required campaign finance disclosure statement.
The general election campaign period limit is calculated by adding the amount of the general election grant, and any unspent qualifying contributions or unspent personal funds provided by the candidate.

Expenditure Limits During "Convention Campaign/Pre-Primary/Pre-General Election Period"

Office Sought	Qualifying Amount	Maximum Allowable Amount of Candidate's Personal Funds	Maximum Expenditures During Period
Governor	$335,500	$20,000	$335,500 - $355,500 (for candidates that did not receive a convention campaign grant) $335,500 - $1,293,088.75 (for candidates that received a convention campaign grant)
Lieutenant Governor	$100,700	$10,000	$100,700 - $110,700
Secretary of the State	$100,700	$10,000	$100,700 - $110,700
State Comptroller	$100,700	$10,000	$100,700 - $110,700
State Treasurer	$100,700	$10,000	$100,700 - $110,700
Attorney General	$100,700	$10,000	$100,700 - $110,700
State Senator	$20,100	$2,000	$20,100 - $22,100
State Representative	$6,700	$1,000	$6,700 - $7,700

Permissible Expenditures

Clean elections funds may be used only for campaign-related expenditures made to advance the participating candidate’s campaign.
Campaigns must maintain detailed documentation indicating that campaign expenditures were made to directly further the participating candidate’s race. Such documentation should be created at the time of the transaction.
Campaign records are subject to comprehensive examinations to ensure compliance with Program requirements.
Expenditures without adequate supporting documentation may be considered impermissible under the Program regulations.

Permissible Expenditures for participating candidates include, but are not limited, to:

Political campaign advertising expenses, such as adequately documented advertisements in any communication medium; production or postage costs related to customary campaign items, such as flyers, signs, stickers, t-shirts, hats, and buttons;
Campaign promotional events, including expenditures for food, space rental, staff, and entertainment at such events;
Polling or get-out-the-vote activities in furtherance of the participating candidate’s campaign;
Food and beverages for campaign workers not to exceed $20 per person for breakfast, $25 per person for lunch, or $35 per person for dinner;
Payments to campaign staff or consultants for services, provided a written agreement is signed before the performance of any work or services for which payment will aggregate over $100, and detailed contemporaneous records are kept documenting the work performed or services rendered (for example, timesheets, work logs, invoices, etc.);
Campaign office expenses, including office rent (with a written lease) and office supplies, equipment, and furniture;
Limited post-election expenses, such as costs of photocopies associated with compliance with the Commission’s post-election review of the participating candidate’s campaign

Examples of Impermissible Expenditures include:

Spending for the personal use of any candidate or individual;
Payments to the candidate or candidate’s family members or the businesses of the participating candidate or any of the candidate’s family members;
Contributions, loans or expenditures to other candidates or committees
Payments above fair market value for goods or services received; and
Expenditures lacking sufficient contemporaneous documentation.

For additional guidance, please see the Commission’s Citizens’ Election Program Regulations, which can be found on the Commission’s website portal.ct.gov/seec.