What the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices took up at its meetings since 2019: late-filing penalties and requests to waive them, complaints and requests to investigate, audits, and what it decided, as its meeting pages record them. A complaint is an allegation; the decision is the Commission's. Items naming someone on this site are also on their page.
Audits of Maine Clean Election Act Candidates
Through a contract with an accounting firm, the Commission audits the financial activity of 20% of legislative candidates who participate in the Maine Clean Election Act program. The Commission’s auditors will update the Commission on their review of 2024 legislative candidates. Additional Material
Balance Adjustment – Senate Democratic Campaign Committee
In early 2023, the Commission staff requested the 110 political action committees registered with the Commission verify that the cash balance shown in the summary section of their campaign finance reports accurately stated the balance in their bank accounts as of December 31, 2022. The Senate Democratic Campaign Committee undertook an internal audit, corrected some financial reporting errors by former staff, and is requesting a balance adjustment be made for the remaining balance discrepancy.
Decided: To direct the staff to make a balance adjustment to correct the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee's final balance. (vote 5-0)
Audits of Maine Clean Election Act Candidates
The Commission audits a random selection of 20% of legislative candidates who participate in the Maine Clean Election Act program. The accounting firm engaged by the Commission will provide an update on the 2022 audits, which are almost complete. Additional Audit Materials
Audits of 2022 Maine Clean Election Act Candidates
The Commission audits a random selection of 20% of legislative candidates who participate in the Maine Clean Election Act program. The accounting firm engaged by the Commission will provide an update on the 2022 audits.
Completion of Audits of 2020 Maine Clean Election Act Candidates
Jennifer Conners of the Runyon Kersteen Ouellette accounting firm presented a summary of the audits of 2020 Maine Clean Election Act candidates.
Proposed Plan for Auditing Leadership PACs
The staff will present a plan for auditing 2020 leadership PACs, an initiative proposed by Commission members arising out of enforcement matters and public discussion of leadership PACs in 2016-2017.
Decided: That the Commission staff conduct a review of the leadership PACs selected by the Commission staff as proposed in the staff memo for the year 2020. (vote Withdrawn)
Audits of 2018 Maine Clean Election Act Candidates
The Commission’s auditors will present the audits of the three 2018 candidates for Governor who participated in the Maine Clean Election Act program: Terry Hayes, Garrett Mason, and Betsy Sweet.
Audits of 2018 Maine Clean Election Act Candidates
The Commission’s auditors updated the Commission on the progress of the post-election audits of 2018 Maine Clean Election Act candidates. No action required.
From the Commission's meeting pages (maine.gov/ethics/meetings). Housekeeping (minutes, rulemaking, legislation) is left out.