Transcript: MDCRIS Video Series: Public Financing
[Video Title]: MDCRIS VIDEO SERIES: Public Financing. From Part 5 of the Video: MDCRIS: An Overview
[Music plays softly]
[Narrator]: Public Financing. Any county in the state may elect to establish a system of public campaign financing for elective offices in the executive and legislative branches of the County’s government.
The decision for a candidate to participate is voluntary and one can only participate if running for a covered county elective office. The county’s program may have strict regulations on campaign financing, contributions, expenditures, reporting and campaign material than that of state law.
Let’s begin with Contributions for Individual Matching Fund.
[Video Chapter Title]: MDCRIS VIDEO SERIES: Part 5: Public Financing: Contributions for Individual Matching Fund
[The MDCRIS webpage is displayed]
[Narrator]: With the menu on the left hand side, click on “Enter Contributions/Transfers/In-Kind Contributions.” Where it states Filing Period Name, CRIS will have your next report that is coming up due in the drop down box.
For Contribution Type, click on the down arrow and select if it was made with cash, check, credit card or electronic fund transfer.
Go to Contributor Type and click on the down arrow and select “Individual – Matching Fund.” Individual — Matching Fund must be selected in order for the contributor type to have that contribution reviewed to be public fund matching. Any other selection will not be reviewed for matching.
Go down to where it states Search Contributor Name. If from an individual, start typing in the last name and if they have been entered in before, you will see them in the drop down box. Once selected, CRIS will automatically fill in the name and address for you.
If this is the first time someone is contributing to the campaign it will say “No data available” then you can go to the next section and enter in their last name, first name, address and County of Residence. You must have their name and address or the contribution will be ‘Anonymous.’ Anonymous contributions are strictly prohibited and must be turned over to the State Board.
The employer and occupation information is not required as the allowable contribution amount in a public funded campaign cannot exceed $150.00. Enter in the date the contribution was received, how much and if by check, check number and save.
And now we'll move on to covering Uploading and Linking for Receipt Documents.
[Video Chapter Title]: MDCRIS VIDEO SERIES: Part 5: Public Financing: Uploading and Linking for Receipt Documents.
[Narrator]: This is a two-step process and you need to scan the receipt documents individually and save them on your computer. You can create a folder on your desktop for easy access.
[Video Chapter Title]: MDCRIS VIDEO SERIES: Part 5: Public Financing: Uploading and Linking for Receipt Documents. Step - 1: (Upload Receipt Documents).
[Narrator]: Let’s begin with Step 1 - Upload Receipt Documents in parenthesis. With the menu on the left hand side, go to where it states Receipt Document and click on “Step – 1 Upload Receipt Documents” in parenthesis.
Where it states Filing Period, it will have the next report coming up due. For Transaction Type, click on down arrow and choose if it is for Contributions or Expenditures.
In File Name you can name it whatever works for you, but if it is from an individual it is easier to search if it starts with the contributor last name and first name or initial in case you have several Smiths that have contributed - for an example.
Where it says Upload File, click on the button for “Choose File.” Go to where you have saved the scanned document and select it. Now click on the button for “Upload Receipt.” You will see a message that says ‘Receipt Saved Successfully.’ Click on “OK.” You will do this for each contribution or expenditure that you have.
Once the receipt documents have been scanned and uploaded we can move on to “Step - 2 Link Receipt Documents” in parenthesis.
[Video Chapter Title]: MDCRIS VIDEO SERIES: Part 5: Public Financing: Uploading and Linking for Receipt Documents. Step 2 - (Link Receipt Documents)
With the menu on the left hand side, go to where it states Receipt Document and click on “Step – 2 (Link receipt documents) in parenthesis.
Where it says Filing Period, click on the down arrow and select the report. Go to Transaction Type and select if it is contribution or expenditure.
Where it states Contributor/Payee Name, if from individual start typing in their last name and you will get a drop down box to select the contributor. You can then go down and click on the “Search” button and it will pull up their information up on the screen.
Under where is says Select All, check the box. Then click on the button to Link. You can also tweak your search criteria to see transactions that have not been linked, Transactions with linked Receipts, by Contribution type and even Transaction Date Range.
If you have data entered transactions under a matching fund report and do not file that report, CRIS will automatically shift your transaction to the next matching fund report for you.
I am now going through the step again and linking another contribution.
Please check out our Summary Guide for Public Election Fund for a more detailed explanation regarding Contribution Requirements, Qualifying Contributions, Eligible and Impermissible Contributions and much more.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Division of Candidacy and Campaign Finance at 410-269-2880 or send us an email at info.sbe@maryland.gov with ‘Public Financing’ in the subject line.
[Maryland State Board of Elections 2017]