AB 619

Currently, state law regulates the financing of campaigns for both state and

local offices. Under current law, neither a county nor a town has authority to regulate

the financing of campaigns for local office. A city and a village may have this

authority under constitutional home rule powers if the subject of the particular city

ordinance is considered to be a "local affair." This bill specifically authorizes a county,

city, town, or village to enact ordinances regulating the financing of campaigns for

county, city, town, or village office, respectively. An ordinance enacted under the bill

becomes effective in the county, city, town, or village after the Government

Accountability Board certifies that the ordinance is in compliance with the

provisions of this bill. The significant aspects of the authority granted under the bill

include the following:

Local regulation of campaign contributions

Current law limits the amount of contributions that may be given to and

accepted by a candidate for local office. The maximum amount that an individual

may contribute to a local campaign is the greater of $250 or one cent times the

population of the jurisdiction for which the candidate seeks office, but not more than

$3,000. The maximum amount that a committee other than a political party

committee or legislative campaign committee may contribute to a local campaign is

the greater of $200 or three-fourths of one cent times the population of the

jurisdiction for which the candidate seeks office, but not more than $2,500. Current

law also prohibits an individual from contributing an aggregate total of more than

$10,000 in a calendar year to all candidates for state and local office. Currently, for

the purpose of determining compliance with contribution limitations, a contribution

transferred from a conduit is treated as a contribution from the original contributor.

In addition, current law limits the aggregate amount of contributions that a

candidate for local office may accept from all political committees, including political

party committees. For candidates for county office in a county with a population of

500,000 or more (currently, Milwaukee County), these maximum aggregate amounts

are approximately as follows:

1. County executive, $175,200.

2. County supervisor, $11,200.

3. Other county offices, $70,100.

For candidates for city office in a first class city (currently, Milwaukee), these

maximum aggregate amounts are approximately as follows:

1. Mayor, $175,200.

2. City attorney, $105,100.

3. Alderperson, $11,200.

4. Other city offices, $70,100.

For candidates for local office in a jurisdiction with a population of less than

500,000, these maximum aggregate amounts are approximately 65 percent of the