EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - NONELECTION YEAR 1999

The Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board is charged with the administration of the Ethics in Government Act, Minnesota Statutes Chapter 10A.  Each year the campaign committees for Constitutional offices (Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer), Senators, Representatives, and Judges are required to disclose financial campaign activity.  Disclosure is also required by campaign committees of nonofficeholders.   Nonofficeholders are individuals who were candidates in previous elections or who have registered campaign committees for the 2000 election.  Political party units, political committees, and political funds that attempt to influence state elections are also required to disclose financial campaign activity. 

 Data from filed reports is compiled and included in an annual summary.   The 1999 summary also reports financial campaign activity disclosed by candidates in five special elections.  Campaign information filed by officials and candidates includes cash balances, contributions received, and expenditures made (pages 6 through 40).   Data in the summary was compiled as of April 26, 2000.  The data has not been verified or audited.

 Officeholders reported cash balances of $1.8 million as of December 31, 1999.  This figure is compared with 1997 and 1995 on page 4.  State Senate and State House of Representative campaigns report $1.6 million cash available to begin the 2000 election year.  Constitutional office candidates are not up for election in 2000.

 All campaigns reported receiving contributions of $2.4 million during 1999; $1.9 million of which was received by Senate and House of Representative campaigns. The names of donors who contribute in excess of $100 to legislative and constitutional office campaigns are listed beginning on page 41.

 Campaign expenditures of $1.3 million were made during 1999.  Most candidates voluntarily agree to limit campaign expenditures in order to receive public subsidies.  These subsidies include direct payments to eligible candidates during election years and participation in the Political Contribution Refund (PCR) program.  The PCR program allows campaign contributors to receive up to $50 per year from the State as a refund of contributions made.

 The summary includes selected data from reports filed by political party units, political committees and political funds.  Contributions made to qualifying political party units also qualify for refund under the PCR program.

The final section lists the names of donors who have contributed more than $1,000 during 1999 (page 97).