FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. If I am only spending my own money on my campaign, do I still need to file campaign statements? A. Yes, you are still subject to the filing requirements of the Political Reform Act. If you plan to use personal funds to pay for campaign expenses, you should first deposit those funds into a campaign bank account opened for the purpose of your campaign. PLEASE NOTE : The only exception to this is that a candidate MAY use personal funds to pay the cost of their candidate’s statement without first depositing those funds into a campaign bank account. Q. Must a committee wait until $2,000 is received to file a statement of organization? A. No, a committee may file a Statement of Organization before it is actually qualified. “Not Yet Qualified” should be entered in the “Date Qualified” space on the form. Q. Where can I obtain filing forms? A. Campaign disclosure forms are available from the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) website at http://www.fppc.ca.gov/; click on “View All Forms”; then click on the appropriate Form and/or Manual. Q. May I serve as my own campaign treasurer? A. Yes, State law allows you to serve as your own treasurer, as long as this is designated on the Form 410 - Statement of Organization. Q. What happens if a candidate or treasurer is not available to sign a campaign disclosure statement on or before the filing deadline? A. An agent of the candidate or treasurer may sign the campaign disclosure statement. The agent must attach an explanatory note to the statement stating that as soon as the candidate or treasurer is available, he/she will verify and sign the statement and an amendment with the proper signature will be filed. In the event a committee treasurer will be unavailable to carry out his/her duties for an extended period of time, a new treasurer should be designated and the committee’s Statement of Organization, Form 410, amended. Q. Are extensions given for campaign disclosure filing deadlines? A. Except for deadlines that fall on a Saturday, Sunday or official state holidays, no provisions exist for extensions of filing deadlines. A statement not filed on or before the deadline is considered late and is subject to late-filing penalties. Q. Why is there so much paperwork involved in being a candidate? A. State law requires that you file the appropriate materials to assure the voters that you are fully disclosing all information pertinent to your candidacy. The purpose of the requirement is to ensure a fair and democratic electoral process. Q. When will sample ballots be mailed to voters? A. State law requires sample ballots be mailed to all qualified voters between 40 and 10 days before the election. Sample ballots will be mailed by the San Bernardino County Election Division. Q. How can I find out the election results? A. All semi-final results will be released form the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voter’s Office 777 East Rialto Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92415 Semi-final election results will be continuously updated and displayed on the County’s website, https://sbcountyelections.com/ throughout Election Night and during the Official Canvass process. Bulletins are updated and results released approximately every 30 minutes until the last Semi-Official Results are tallied on Election Night. The County has (28) Days following the date of the election to complete the canvass. Q. When will newly elected Council members take office? A. The Mayor and City Council members elected in each election shall be sworn in and begin their term of service upon certification of the general election results and shall serve until their successors qualify.
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