Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas recently unveiled a list of candidates who have and have not submitted their campaign finance reports to the state as of early July. The purpose of this move is to bring attention to those who may not be following the rules regarding disclosure of campaign funds. Candidates are required to disclose any funds raised or spent that amount to $500 or more over a two-year state election cycle, with reporting deadlines scattered throughout the year.
While some candidates have not filed reports, it’s important to note that not all of them may be in violation of state law. However, the lack of an enforcement mechanism means that some candidates could be getting away with not fully disclosing their campaign finances. Copeland Hanzas hopes that these lists will spark conversations in the Legislature about possible updates to campaign finance laws and the introduction of new enforcement measures. Additionally, she plans to continue updating the lists after future filing deadlines in order to provide voters with up-to-date information on candidate compliance.
