Government
92 Candidates and PACs Failed to File Financial Reports
Alabama Secretary of State John H. Merrill has released a list of 92 candidates and political action groups that did not fully file their annual financial reports as required by law.
The reports are due by Jan. 31 each year. More than 1,000 candidates and PACs were required to file reports on their 2016 finances, Merrill said in a statement issued Monday, but 92 “have not yet taken the steps necessary to reach full compliance.”
The list was given to the Attorney General’s Office and Ethics Commission before it was released publicly, according to the statement.
Merrill said there are no administrative penalties at this time for failing to file required campaign finance documents. But candidates who do not come into full compliance by June will face the possibility of fines.
“Our intention in releasing these names to the public is to further encourage candidates and PACs to bring their filings into compliance allowing the citizens of our state to review the extent of their fiscal responsibility,” Merrill said in the statement.
A new state law going into effect later this year also will levy administrative penalties against candidates and PACs that miss deadlines for filing financial reports on money raised or spent on the 2018 election cycle.
See the full list of candidates and PACs that failed to file.