§ 42.17.095. Disposal of surplus funds
The surplus funds of a candidate, or of a political committee supporting or opposing a candidate, may only be disposed of in any one or more of the following ways:
(1) Return the surplus to a contributor in an amount not to exceed that contributor's original contribution;
(2) Transfer the surplus to the candidate's personal account as reimbursement for lost earnings incurred as a result of that candidate's election campaign. Such lost earnings shall be verifiable as unpaid salary or, when the candidate is not salaried, as an amount not to exceed income received by the candidate for services rendered during an appropriate, corresponding time period. All lost earnings incurred shall be documented and a record thereof shall be maintained by the candidate or the candidate's political committee. The committee shall include a copy of such record when its expenditure for such reimbursement is reported pursuant to RCW 42.17.090;
(3) Transfer the surplus without limit to a political party or to a caucus political committee;
(4) Donate the surplus to a charitable organization registered in accordance with chapter 19.09 RCW;
(5) Transmit the surplus to the state treasurer for deposit in the general fund, the oral history, state library, and archives account under *RCW 43.07.380, or the legislative international trade account under **RCW 44.04.270, as specified by the candidate or political committee; or
(6) Hold the surplus in the campaign depository or depositories designated in accordance with RCW 42.17.050 for possible use in a future election campaign for the same office last sought by the candidate and report any such disposition in accordance with RCW 42.17.090: PROVIDED, That if the candidate subsequently announces or publicly files for office, information as appropriate is reported to the commission in accordance with RCW 42.17.040 through 42.17.090. If a subsequent office is not sought the surplus held shall be disposed of in accordance with the requirements of this section.
(7) Hold the surplus campaign funds in a separate account for nonreimbursed public office-related expenses or as provided in this section, and report any such disposition in accordance with RCW 42.17.090. The separate account required under this subsection shall not be used for deposits of campaign funds that are not surplus.
(8) No candidate or authorized committee may transfer funds to any other candidate or other political committee.
The disposal of surplus funds under this section shall not be considered a contribution for purposes of this chapter.
[2005 c 467 § 1; 1995 c 397 § 31; 1993 c 2 § 20 (Initiative Measure No. 134, approved November 3, 1992); 1982 c 147 § 8; 1977 ex.s. c 336 § 3.]
Notes:
Reviser's note: *(1) RCW 43.07.380 was amended by 2008 c 222 § 13, renaming the "oral history, state library, and archives account" to the "Washington state legacy project, state library, and archives account."
**(2) RCW 44.04.270 was recodified as RCW 43.15.050 pursuant to 2006 c 317 § 5.
Effective date -- 2005 c 467: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [May 13, 2005]." [2005 c 467 § 2.]
Severability -- 1977 ex.s. c 336: See note following RCW 42.17.040.
Sections: Previous 42.17.060 42.17.065 42.17.067 42.17.070 42.17.080 42.17.090 42.17.093 42.17.095 42.17.100 42.17.103 42.17.105 42.17.110 42.17.120 42.17.125 42.17.128 Next
Last modified: April 7, 2009