Arizona Laws 16-953. Return of monies to the citizens clean elections fund
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 16-953
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- Candidate: means an individual who receives contributions or makes expenditures or who gives consent to another person to receive contributions or make expenditures on behalf of that individual in connection with the candidate's nomination, election or retention for any public office. See Arizona Laws 16-901
- Election: means any election for any ballot measure in this state or any candidate election during a primary, general, recall, special or runoff election for any office in this state other than a federal office and a political party office prescribed by chapter 5, article 2 of this title. See Arizona Laws 16-901
- Election cycle: means the two-year period beginning on January 1 in the year after a statewide general election and ending on December 31 in the year of a statewide general election or, for cities and towns, the two-year period beginning on the first day of the calendar quarter after the calendar quarter in which the city's or town's second, runoff or general election is scheduled and ending on the last day of the calendar quarter in which the city's or town's immediately following second, runoff or general election is scheduled, however that election is designated by the city or town. See Arizona Laws 16-901
- 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.
- including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Oath: includes an affirmation or declaration. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
- 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.
(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)
A. At the end of the primary election period, a participating candidate who has received monies pursuant to section 16-951, subsection A, paragraph 1 shall return to the fund all monies in the candidate’s campaign account above an amount sufficient to pay any unpaid bills for expenditures made during the primary election period and for goods or services directed to the primary election.
B. At the end of the general election period, a participating candidate shall return to the fund all monies in the candidate’s campaign account above an amount sufficient to pay any unpaid bills for expenditures made before the general election and for goods or services directed to the general election.
C. A participating candidate shall pay all uncontested and unpaid bills referenced in this section no later than thirty days after the primary or general election. A participating candidate shall make monthly reports to the commission concerning the status of the dispute over any contested bills. Any monies in a candidate’s campaign account after payment of bills shall be returned promptly to the fund.
D. If a participating candidate is replaced pursuant to section 16-343, and the replacement candidate files an oath with the secretary of state certifying to section 16-947, subsection B, paragraph 3, the campaign account of the participating candidate shall be transferred to the replacement candidate and the commission shall certify the replacement candidate as a participating candidate without requiring compliance with section 16-950 or the remainder of section 16-947. If the replacement candidate does not file such an oath, the campaign account shall be liquidated and all remaining monies returned to the fund.
E. If a participating candidate who has received monies pursuant to section 16-951, subsection A, paragraph 1 does not qualify for the ballot for the primary election, the participating candidate shall:
1. Return to the fund all monies in the candidate’s campaign account above the amount sufficient to pay any unpaid bills for expenditures made before the date the candidate failed to qualify for the primary ballot.
2. Return to the commission, within fourteen days, all remaining assets purchased with public funds in that election cycle, including all political signs. The disqualified participating candidate is not required to return political signs purchased in a previous election cycle.
3. Repay any monies paid to a family member unless the participating candidate demonstrates that the payment made was for goods or services actually provided before disqualification of the candidate and the payment was for fair market value. For the purposes of this paragraph, "family member" means a parent, grandparent, spouse, child or sibling of the candidate or a parent or spouse of any of those persons.