Wyo. Code R. 002-0005-21
Effective Date: 10/22/2013 to 03/30/2020
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 002.0005.21.10222013
Rules for Wyoming's Campaign Finance Information System (WYCFIS)
The Secretary of State, pursuant to W.S. 22-25-105 (a) and (b) and W.S. 22-2-121, is authorized to promulgate such rules as are necessary to implement the electronic campaign finance disclosure filing information system established by the legislature and to maintain uniform voting procedures.
These rules are promulgated to establish the forms, instructions and procedures for reporting receipts and expenditures for Primary, General and Special Elections.
These rules shall apply to all candidates, candidate campaign committees, political action committees, political parties, organizations supporting or opposing any ballot proposition or any other persons, committees or organizations required by law to file campaign finance disclosure statements pursuant to W.S. 22-25-101, et seq.
(a) “Account” means the on-line account established by any person, committee, or organization for the reporting of campaign contributions and expenditures.
(b) “Committee” means a candidate’s campaign committee or a political action committee (PAC).
(c) “Contribution” as used in the campaign finance disclosure system, means the same as the term “receipts” in the Wyoming Election Code.
(d) “Person” means any candidate, candidate campaign committee, political action committee, political party, organization supporting or opposing any ballot proposition, or any other person, committee or organization required by law to file campaign finance disclosure statements pursuant to W.S. 22-25-101, et seq.
(e) “Responsible party” means a candidate, committee officer, chairman, treasurer or other person who is legally required under W.S. 22-25-106 to sign and file campaign finance disclosure reports.
(f) “WYCFIS” means the electronic Wyoming Campaign Finance Information System.
(a) All persons who are required by law to sign and electronically file campaign finance disclosure reports using WYCFIS must establish an on-line account.
(b) All required information requested in the on-line application form must be provided.
(c) All persons must provide a current active email address because the Secretary of State’s Office will use the email address to send notifications. All persons are required to keep email addresses current.
(d) An on-line account will be created by the Secretary of State’s Office after July 1, if a candidate has not created his account by that date. Creation of the candidate’s account by the Secretary of State’s Office does not absolve the candidate’s statutory obligation to file campaign finance disclosure reports.
(e) If the filing is in compliance with the law and these Rules, the Secretary of State’s Office shall approve the account.
(f) The Secretary of State’s Office shall review all applications for compliance with the law and these rules. Any application that is incomplete or does not contain all required information shall be rejected. In addition, the Secretary of State’s Office may reject any application for the following reasons:
(i) Non qualified person;
(g) If the original purpose for the candidate’s committee changes, i.e., a candidate’s committee chooses to continue to support the candidate but for a different office, a new committee account for the new purpose or office must be established.
(h) The Secretary of State’s Office may remove an account from active status if the responsible party fails to file the required reports. Removing an account from active status does not absolve the responsible party’s statutory obligation to file campaign finance disclosure reports. To reactivate the account, the responsible party must notify the Secretary of State’s Office in writing of his intent to file a report. Once the account is reactivated, the responsible party may file his report.
(a) Electronic applications shall be considered to be signed when the responsible party types his or her name on the form and checks the box that states (or language similar to):
“I have read and understand the Terms and Conditions of Wyoming’s Campaign Finance Information System. By checking this box, I declare under penalty of perjury that I am the person named, and the foregoing information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. WARNING: Any person who knowingly makes a false statement or misrepresentation on this form may be subject to a fine or imprisonment.”
(b) Typed signatures must match the name as previously entered on the application form in WYCFIS.
(a) An application to set up an on-line filing account may be filed at any time, but must be established before any campaign finance disclosure reports can be filed.
(b) Campaign finance disclosure reports must be electronically filed not later than midnight on the last day for filing a required campaign finance disclosure report.
(c) Write-in Candidates.
(i) A write-in candidate for any election:
(A) Must file his receipts report seven (7) days before the election if he receives contributions.
(B) Does not need to file the receipts report seven (7) days before the election if he receives no contributions.
(C) Must file his receipts and expenditures report within ten (10) days of the election if he is nominated or elected, regardless of whether he has received or expended funds.
(d) Special Elections held pursuant to W.S. 22-16-122.
(i) A Special Election shall be considered a continuation of the election, whether Primary or General, for purposes of campaign finance disclosure reporting.
(ii) In a Special Election, persons shall report their receipts and expenditures using the amendment process in WYCFIS.
(iii) Contributions received or expended for a Special Election must be designated as such as instructed in WYCFIS.
(a) Any committee that receives regularly scheduled payroll deductions or automatic monthly contributions from individuals may report those contributions cumulatively by individual at each required reporting period, providing the documentation is retained by the committee as a permanent record.
(b) Any person may transfer funds from his campaign account to any other campaign account. Such transfer of funds is considered to be an expenditure and the receipt of such funds is a contribution. Both must be reported.
(a) At the end of an election cycle, all active individual candidate and organization accounts will be administratively closed. A new candidate account for the next election cycle may be opened, starting January 1 of the new election cycle.
(b) Committee accounts will remain open and be subject to all statutorily required ongoing reports until the account is closed by the responsible party, pursuant to W.S. 22-25-106.
(c) Thirty (30) days after the Primary Election, the Secretary of State's Office may administratively close the candidate account of any candidate who was not successful in the Primary. As noted in Section 5 above, administratively closing an account does not absolve the candidate from filing any required campaign finance disclosure reports.