J. Paid Spokespersons for Ballot Measure Ads Generally, candidate controlled committees and primarily formed committees spend campaign funds only in connection with the candidate’s election. However, there may be times when a committee wants to pay for an advertisement to support or oppose a ballot measure. The Act requires specific disclosure when any committee uses a paid spokesperson in an advertisement to support or oppose a ballot measure. The committee must (1) file a Paid Spokesperson Report, Form 511, for an individual’s appearance in a ballot measure advertisement and (2) include a disclosure on the ad in the following situations. $5,000 payment to an individual in an ad: The committee makes expenditures totaling $5,000 or more for an individual’s appearance in an advertisement to support or oppose the qualification, passage or defeat of a state or local ballot measure. Disclosure on ad: “(Spokesperson’s name) is being paid by this campaign or its contributors.” Any payment to an individual in an ad portraying a professional (e.g., nurse, doctor, firefighter, scientist, engineer, lawyer, etc.): The committee makes expenditures of any amount to an individual for their appearance in an ad supporting or opposing the qualification, passage or defeat of a state or local ballot measure that states or suggests that the individual is a member of an occupation that requires licensure, certification, or other specialized, documented training to engage in that occupation. Disclosure on ad: “Persons portraying members of an occupation in this advertisement are compensated spokespersons not necessarily employed in those occupations.”
Fair Political Practices Commission advice@fppc.ca.gov
Chapter 8.16
Campaign Manual 2 August 2023 Page 281
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