STATE ELECTION ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION

Program Goals Program Requirements Grant Application and Amounts Expenditures Supplemental Reporting

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 are 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;
Salaries for campaign staff or consultants, provided a written agreement is signed before the performance of any work or services, and contemporaneous detailed 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.