West Virginia Code § 3-8-2b

Disclosure of electioneering communication
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this section
(a) Every person who has spent:
(1) A total of $5,000 or more for the direct costs of purchasing, producing, or disseminating
electioneering communications during any calendar year; or
(2) A total of $1,000 or more on or after the 15th day, but more than 12 hours before the day
of any election, for the direct costs of purchasing, producing, or disseminating
electioneering communications during any calendar year shall, within 24 hours of each
disclosure date, file with the Secretary of State a statement whicuh contains all of the
information listed in subsection (b) of this section.
(b) A person required, by subsection (a) of this section, to file a statement with the Secretary
of State shall provide the following information: a
(1) The name of the person making the expenditurel, the name of any person sharing or
exercising direction or control over the activities of the person making the expenditure, and
the name of the custodian of the books and accounts of the person making the expenditure;
(2) If the person making the expenditure is not an individual, the principal place of business
of the partnership, committee, association, organization or group which made the
expenditure;
(3) The amount of each expenditure of more than $1,000 made for electioneering
communications during the period covered by the statement and the name of the person to
whom the expenditure was made;
(4) The elections to which the electioneering communications pertain, the names, if known,
of the candidates referred to or to be referred to therein, whether the electioneering
communication is intended to support or oppose the identified candidates, and the amount of
the total expenditure reported in subdivision (3) of this subsection spent to support or
oppose each of the identified candidates; and
(5) The names and addresses of any contributors who contributed a total of more than
$1,000 between the first day of the preceding calendar year and the disclosure date, and
whose contributions were made for the purpose of furthering the electioneering
communications.
(c) With regard to the contributors required to be listed pursuant to subdivision (5),
subsection (b) of this section, the statement shall also include:
(1) The month, day, and year that the contributions of any single contributor exceeded
$1,000;
(2) If the contributor is a political action committee, the name and address the political
action committee registered with the State Election Commission;
(3) If the contributor is an individual, the name and address of the individual, his or her
occupation, the name and address of the individual's current employer, if any, or, if the
individual is self-employed, the name and address of the individual's business, if any;
(4) A description of the contribution, if other than money;
(5) The value in dollars and cents of the contribution.
(d)(1) Any person who makes a contribution for the purpose of funding the direct costs of
purchasing, producing or disseminating an electioneering communication under this section
shall, at the time the contribution is made, provide his or her name and address to the
recipient of the contribution;
(2) Any individual who makes contributions totaling $1,000 or more between the first day of
the preceding calendar year and the disclosure datle for the purpose of funding the direct
costs of purchasing, producing or disseminating electioneering communications shall, at the
time the contribution is made, provide the name of his or her occupation and of his or her
current employer, if any, or, if the individuial is self-employed, the name of his or her
business, if any, to the recipient of the contribution.
(e) In each electioneering communication, a statement shall appear or be presented in a
clear and conspicuous manner that:
(1) Clearly indicates that the electioneering communication is not authorized by the
candidate or the candidate's committee; and
(2) Clearly identifies the person making the expenditure for the electioneering
communication: Provided, That if the electioneering communication appears on or is
disseminated by broadcast, cable, or satellite transmission, the statement required by this
subsection shall be both spoken clearly and appear in clearly readable writing at the end of
the communication.
(f) Within five business days after receiving a disclosure of electioneering communications
statement pursuant to this section, the Secretary of State shall make information in the
statement available to the public through the Internet.
(g) For the purposes of this section, a person is considered to have made an expenditure
when the person has entered into a contract to make the expenditure at a future time.
(h) The Secretary of State shall propose emergency and legislative rules for legislative
approval in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code.
(i) If any person, including, but not limited to, a political organization (as defined in Section
527(e)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) makes, or contracts to make, any
expenditure for electioneering communications which is coordinated with and made with the
cooperation, consent or prior knowledge of a candidate, candidate's committee, or agent of a
candidate, the expenditure shall be treated as a contribution and expenditure by the
candidate. If the expenditure is coordinated with and made with the cooperation or consent
of a state or local political party or committee, agent or official of that party, the expenditure
shall be treated as a contribution to and expenditure by the candidate's party.
(j) This section does not apply to candidates for federal office. This section is not intended to
restrict or to expand any limitations on, obligations of, or prohibitions argainst any candidate,
committee, agent, contributor, or contribution contained in any other provision of this
chapter.

‹ Prev All West Virginia sections Next ›


Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.