Macomb County Clerk Carmella Sabaugh announced today that
she will require easily searchable electronic campaign finance reports from
candidates for county and local offices beginning in 2016.
The electronic reports will lead to the creation of databases
online that make it easy for the public to compare and contrast candidates’
money raised and spent.
Sabaugh’s current web-based system allows detailed searches
of county and local contributions, but not expenditures.
is important,” Sabaugh said.
“While I plan to require all county and local campaign
committees that spent or received $5,000 or more in the last year to file
statements electronically, we are designing the system to be user-friendly to
encourage committees under the $5,000 threshold to use it as well.”
activities, applauded Sabaugh for her move toward greater transparency in the election
process.
“Once again, Macomb County is taking an important step to
make government more open and accountable. The new reporting system will make
it easier for the people and the press to monitor campaign contributions,
donors and officeholders,” said Robinson, director of the nonpartisan Michigan
Campaign Finance Network.
file statements more easily as opposed to the current paper-based filing system
used by many running for office. It will also make it easier for committees to
comply with donation and spending limits by flagging potential issues or
errors.
A state law that took effect in December 2013 allows county
clerks to mandate electronic filing for candidates that meet a threshold of
either $1,500 or $5,000. Sabaugh chose the $5,000 mark, which will impact 133
candidate committees in the county.
Hundreds will be exempt and many candidates who run for
school boards, township boards or village councils receive a waiver from all
reporting requirements because they raise and spend less than $1,000.
running for state office, university boards or judicial seats that reach a
$5,000 level.
Sabaugh expects the Macomb system will be ready for the July
2016 pre-primary campaign finance filing deadline. She saluted Wayne
County Clerk Cathy Garrett for becoming the first county clerk in Michigan to
require electronic filing while David Flynn, chairman of the Macomb County
Board of Commissioners, praised Sabaugh for her “shining example” of greater
accountability in the electoral process.
