In this Article, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
Applicant candidate means a person who is running for a covered office and who is seeking to be a certified candidate in a primary or general election.
Board means the Maryland State Board of Elections.
Campaign finance entity means a political committee established under Title 13 of the State Election Law, as amended.
Certified candidate means a candidate running for a covered office who is certified as eligible for public campaign financing from the Fund.
Committee to Recommend Funding for the Public Election Fund means the Committee established in Section
16-27.
Consumer Price Index means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA), as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, or a successor index.
Contested election means an election in which there are more candidates for an office than the number who can be elected to that office. Contested election includes a special election held to fill a vacancy in a covered office under Section
16-17.
Contribution means the gift or transfer, or promise of gift or transfer, of money or other thing of value to a campaign finance entity to promote or assist in the promotion of the success or defeat of a candidate, political party, or question. Contribution includes proceeds from the sale of tickets to a campaign fund-raising event as defined in Section 101 of the Election Law Article of the Maryland Code, as amended.
County Board means the Montgomery County Board of Elections.
Covered office means the office of County Executive or County Councilmember.
Director means the Director of the Department of Finance or the Director’s designee.
Distribution period means the period of time beginning 365 days before the primary election for the office the candidate seeks and ending 15 days after the date of the general election. The distribution period for a special election under Section
16-17 must be set by Council resolution.
Election cycle means the primary and general election for the same term of a covered office.
Eligible contribution means an aggregate donation in a 4-year election cycle of $150 or less from an individual, including an individual who does not reside in the County.
Fund means the Public Election Fund.
Noncertified candidate means a person who is running for a covered office who either:
(1) chooses not to apply to be a certified candidate; or
(2) applies to be a certified candidate but fails to qualify.
Non-participating candidate means a person who is running for a covered office who is either a noncertified candidate or a certified candidate who declines to accept a public contribution.
Participating candidate means a certified candidate who has received a public contribution from the Fund for a primary or general election.
Public contribution means money disbursed from the Fund to a certified candidate.
Publicly funded campaign account means a campaign finance account established by a candidate for the exclusive purpose of receiving eligible contributions and spending funds in accordance with this Article.
Qualifying contribution means an eligible contribution of at least $5.00 but no more than $150.00 in support of an applicant candidate that is:
(1) made by a County resident;
(2) made after the beginning of the designated qualifying period, but no later than the respective election; and
(3) acknowledged by a receipt that identifies the contributor’s name and residential address and signed by the contributor directly or by a digital signature using a method approved by the Board.
Qualifying period means the period of time beginning on January 1 following the last election for the office the candidate seeks and ending 45 days before the date of the primary election. The qualifying period for a special election under Section
16-17 must be set by Council resolution.
Slate means a political committee of two or more candidates who join together to conduct and pay for joint campaign activities. (, § 2; , §1.)
