Fund; Commission

Baltimore City Code art. 5, subtit. 11, pt. 2

in effect

Baltimore City Code, Article 5, § 11-5 Fair Election Fund established.

§ 11-5. Fair Election Fund established. (a) In general. There is a Baltimore City Fair Election Fund. (b) Nature of Fund. The Fund is a continuing, nonlapsing fund established under the authority of City Charter Article I, § 15 {“Special fund for fair elections”}. (c) Purposes of Fund. As set forth in City Charter Article I, § 15(a)(2), the purposes of the Fund include: (1) providing direct funding to candidates for public office who meet certain qualifications; (2) providing technical assistance and training to individuals seeking to make use of public campaign funding; (3) publicizing the availability of public campaign funding; and (4) administering a public campaign funding program. (d) Contents of Fund. The Fund consists of: (1) money appropriated to the Fund in the annual Ordinances of Estimates; (2) grants or donations made to the Fund; (3) any unspent money remaining in a certified candidate’s publicly funded campaign account after the candidate is no longer a candidate for office; (4) any public contribution plus interest returned to the Fund by a participating candidate who withdraws from participation; (5) interest earned on money in the Fund; and (6) proceeds from fees and fines collected under this subtitle. (e) Uses of Fund. The Fund may only be used for the purposes specified in subsection (c) of this section. (Ord. 20-338.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 5, § 11-6 {Reserved}

Baltimore City Code, Article 5, § 11-7 Fair Election Fund Commission.

§ 11-7. Fair Election Fund Commission. (a) In general. There is a Baltimore City Fair Election Fund Commission as specified in City Charter Article I, § 15(b). (b) Staff. The Department of Finance must provide staff support for the Commission to: (1) work with the State Board to administer the Fund and to provide oversight of applicant and participating candidates; and (2) provide information about the Fund to candidates and the public. (Ord. 20-338.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 5, § 11-8 Fund administration; Commission duties.

§ 11-8. Fund administration; Commission duties. (a) In general. (1) The Director, in consultation with the Commission, must administer the Fund and ensure that the funds are dispersed in an equitable basis. (2) The Director may not disperse any funds from the Fund without prior Commission consultation. (b) Annual report. On or before January 1 of each year, the Commission must issue a report to the Mayor and City Council containing: (1) an estimate of the funds necessary to implement the public campaign finance system for the following fiscal year; (2) a recommendation for an appropriation to the Fund for the following fiscal year; and (3) if necessary, any recommendations for dedicated sources of funding. (c) Meetings. The Commission must meet: (1) at least once every 90 days during the 12 months preceding a primary election; and (2) at least twice a year otherwise. (Ord. 20-338.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 5, § 11-9 Rules and regulations.

§ 11-9. Rules and regulations. Subject to Title 4 {“Administrative Procedure Act – Regulations”} of the City General Provisions Article, the Director, in consultation with the Commission, must adopt rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this subtitle, including specifying: (1) how and when receipts for qualifying contributions from contributors must be submitted to the State Board; (2) the documents that must be filed with the State Board for certification; (3) when disbursements from the Fund are made to a participating candidate and the amounts disbursed; (4) procedures for handling impermissible uses of public contributions; and (5) other policies necessary to implement this subtitle. (Text Conformed 02/14/21; Ord. 20-338.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 5, § 11-10 {Reserved}

Source: City of Baltimore Department of Legislative Reference, City of Baltimore Law Library (codes.baltimorecity.gov; Open Law Library bulk XML)URL: https://codes.baltimorecity.gov/us/md/cities/baltimore/code/5/11/2Fetched: 10/25/2026