Sen. Trey Paradee successfully passed meaningful campaign finance reform that both increased transparency around political fundraising and adjusted the minimum reporting threshold for inflation for the first time in 30 years.
Passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, Senate Bill 176 gave the Delaware Election Commission the power to take corrective action when a candidate or their campaign fails to turn in finance documents and other reports on time.
In addition to the $50-per-day fine allowed by law, the legislation permitted the Elections Commissioner to require that a candidate or their campaign treasurer complete mandatory training on how to use the Department’s electronic campaign finance system.
The bill also required the Commissioner to publish the names of all candidates who failed to file or correct a report on the Department of Elections website once an appeals board has determined their campaign’s negligence lacked reasonable cause.
Finally, the measure struck a fair balance for candidates and their campaign workers – often volunteers with little previous experience – by updating the existing appeal process, capping fines at $5,000 and allowing the Commissioner to waive administrative penalties less than $500 if the reporting party files or corrects a tardy report.
Combined with another measure sponsored by Sen. Paradee to raise the reporting threshold for the first time since the 1990s, these bills resulted in a fairer, smarter and more transparent system for both candidates seeking office and the voters they hope to represent.
