Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill released the names of 71 campaign finance committees that did not turn in their annual finance reports.
The reports are due no later than Jan. 31 of each year.
Over 1,000 turned their reports in on time, but the secretary of state released the names of those that will now owe fees because of their lack of report.
The penalties are determined by the Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act.
Fees start at $300 or 15 percent of the expenditures not reported to the secretary of state’s office for the first time. If it’s there second, the fee is $600 or 15 percent of expenditures not reported, and $1,200 or 20 percent for third times or more.
“In the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office, we work diligently each and every day to ensure that it is easy to vote, and hard to cheat,” Merrill said. “Part of ensuring that goal is accomplished is confirming that candidates for public office, those elected officials responsible for spending tax-payer resources, are fully transparent with the people of this state as those individuals campaign for public office.”
