§ 107.04 — Administration—Campaign Finance

107.04 - Administration—Campaign Finance.

(A) Duties of the City Clerk. (1) The city clerk or designee shall conduct such administrative functions as may be necessary to implement the requirements of this chapter. The city clerk shall designate and assign a classified employee to oversee applicable requirements of this chapter. (2) The city clerk or designee shall review report filings for compliance with this chapter, and shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the city attorney to secure internal or outside counsel, as needed, to advise the city clerk or designee on matters related to the requirements of this chapter. (3) The city clerk or designee shall establish a process to receive and seek legal review of sworn complaints alleging a violation of this chapter. (4) No municipal officer or municipal candidate shall attempt, or have another person attempt on their behalf, to unlawfully interfere with or influence the city clerk, designee, or the clerk's staff, in the performance of the city clerk's or the city clerk's staffs' duties under this chapter. (5) The city clerk or designee shall establish and maintain an electronic filing portal for the filing of reports required by this chapter and shall provide filing instructions on the city website containing the portal. Such reports shall be immediately accessible by the public on the website. (6) The city clerk may establish fees for the filing of reports required by sections 107.02 and 107.03 to cover a portion or all of the costs of administering the provisions of this chapter. The fees shall be the same for like filings and may be adjusted on an annual basis. (B) Authority of the City Attorney. The city attorney, in the city attorney's sole discretion, may designate special counsel to investigate compliance with the requirements of this chapter. The city attorney or special counsel designee of the city attorney shall investigate compliance with this chapter upon presentation of evidence by the city clerk of an alleged violation, or upon a written affidavit based on personal knowledge alleging a violation filed with the city clerk or designee in accordance with the process established by the city clerk as provided for herein. (C) Severability. If any section, subsection, clause, sentence, or paragraph of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstances shall be held unconstitutional or otherwise invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the other provisions of this chapter that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this chapter are declared to be severable. (D) Columbus Elections Fund. There is hereby created the Columbus Elections Fund. All fees and administrative fines imposed under this chapter shall be deposited in such Fund. The Fund shall be used solely for the purpose of paying expenses related to the administration of this chapter, or for other elections-related expenses that are allowable uses of public funds.

(Ord. No. 3386-2018, § 2, 1-14-2019; Ord. No. 1763-2019, § 1, 7-1-2019)