Election Period Communications and Disclosure of Sources of Funds.
Columbus City Codes § 107.03
in effect107.03 - Election Period Communications and Disclosure of Sources of Funds.
(A) Definitions. As used in this chapter:
(1) "Election Period Communication" means:
(a) A communication containing the name, image, voice, or likeness of a municipal candidate, or the title or office of a City of Columbus officeholder holding an elective office, whether holding by appointment or election, that is publicly disseminated during the ninety days before or on the day of an election at which the candidate or officeholder is a candidate for municipal office with an intent or expectation that the communication will be considered by electors voting at the election;
(b) Information or commentary on a municipal ballot issue that is publicly disseminated during the ninety days before or on the day of the election at which the issue appears on the ballot with an intent or expectation that the communication will be considered by electors voting at the election; or
(c) Information or commentary publicly disseminated during the ninety days before or on the day of a municipal election that does not contain the name, image, voice or likeness of a municipal candidate or the title or office of a City of Columbus office holder but from the context of the communication the unambiguous intent of it is to urge electors to vote for or against one or more municipal candidates at the election.
(d) "Election Period Communication" does not include:
(i) A communication made solely to the membership, if any, of the entity that issued the communication;
(ii) A communication by a news reporting entity;
(iii) Communications that are limited solely to public dissemination of statements submitted by municipal candidates who are candidates at the election to which the communication relates, provided that all candidates are provided an equal opportunity to submit such statements and the questions upon which the statements are based have not been developed or issued in coordination with any municipal candidate;
(iv) Communications that are limited solely to public dissemination of statements submitted by proponents and opponents of a municipal ballot issue, provided that the proponents and opponents are provided an equal opportunity to submit such statements and the questions upon which the statements are based have not been developed or issued in coordination with any municipal ballot issue committee;
(v) Communications issued by government entities;
(vi) Communications limited solely to promoting the date, time and location of a municipal candidate or municipal ballot issue debate or forum; or
(vii) Communications issued by; or made with the consent of; or made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with; or made at the request or suggestion of, any of the following: a municipal candidate, the campaign committee or agent of a municipal candidate, or a municipal ballot issue committee or agent of a municipal ballot issue committee.
(2) "Full address" means a full street address for a physical location, not a post office box or commercial box for mail.
(3) "Issuer" means a person who issues, authorizes the issuance of, or causes to be issued an Election Period Communication.
(4) "Municipal election" means a primary, special, or general election on a City of Columbus office or ballot issue.
(5) "Person" means an individual, corporation, unincorporated association, partnership, limited liability company, or other form of entity.
(6) "Publicly disseminated" means communicated through any medium to the City of Columbus public at large, or communicated directly to five hundred or more residents of the City of Columbus, at any time during the ninety days before or on the day of a municipal election. For purposes of this definition, substantially similar messages issued directly to residents by the same issuer or in concert with one or more other issuer(s) shall be included for purposes of the threshold of five hundred.
(7) "Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate or ballot issue committee or means any person who has been placed in a position with the campaign committee or organization such that it would reasonably appear in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities the person may authorize expenditures.
(8) For the purpose of calculating time pursuant to subdivision (B) below, "forty-eight (48) hours from the day" shall mean that issuers must ensure that the clerk or designee receives any and all applicable Election Period Communication reports by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on:
(a) the second day following the date on which a communication that constitutes an Election Period Communication is first issued; or
(b) the second day following each time a payment has been made on the debt pursuant to section 107.03(B)(3).
(B) Election Period Communication Reports.
(1) An issuer of an Election Period Communication shall electronically file an Election Period Communication Report with the city clerk no later than forty-eight (48) hours from the day that the Election Period Communication is first issued. Such report shall contain the following:
(a) The legal name and full address of the residence or business location of the issuer of the communication;
(b) In the case of an issuer that is not an individual, the legal name and full address of an individual designated as the issuer's agent and of the issuer;
(c) The name and full address of each person who provided any funds that were used to pay the cost(s) of the production and/or dissemination of the communication and/or that were received to be used for such purpose; the date(s) such funds were provided; and the amount(s) of such funds;
(d) The name and full address of each person who paid any cost(s) associated with the production and/or dissemination of the communication; the date(s) and amount(s) of each payment; and the name and full address of the payee; and the service or item paid for;
(e) The name and full address of each person paid by the issuer of the communication for any portion of the production and/or dissemination of the communication; the date(s) and amount(s) of each such payment; and a description of the service or item paid for;
(f) The name and full address of any person to whom a debt has been incurred for any portion of the cost(s) of the production and/or dissemination of the communication; the date(s) and amount(s) of each such debt; the date of which shall be the date the service or item was requested by or on behalf of the issuer of the communication; a description of the service or item related to the debt; and the name and address of each person that is obligated or has pledged to pay the debt in full or part if other than the issuer of the communication; and
(g) With respect to each Election Period Communication, the name of each candidate for municipal office or the municipal ballot issue to which the communication relates.
(2) This section shall also apply to an Election Period Communication by any of the following entities set forth in Chapter 3517 of the Ohio Revised Code: campaign committees other than municipal campaign committees; political action committees; federal political committees; political contributing entities; legislative campaign funds; and ballot issue political action committees other than municipal ballot issue committees.
(3) An issuer that is required to file a report under this division reflecting a debt shall electronically file with the city clerk or designee an amended report each time a payment has been made on the debt. Each amended report shall be filed no later than forty-eight (48) hours from the day of any payment and shall reflect new information, if any, in any of the above categories since the last previously filed report.
(4) This section does not apply to an individual who issues one or more Election Period Communications during the ninety days before or on the day of a municipal election if the individual does not act in concert with other persons in issuing the Election Period Communications, the individual pays all costs associated with the production and dissemination of the communications from the individual's own personal funds or is solely liable for such costs, and total costs and/or liability for costs for all such communications do not equal or exceed an aggregated amount of one thousand ($1000) dollars.
(C) Attribution statement on Election Period Communication. An issuer of an Election Period Communication shall provide on such communication the words "Issued by" followed by the issuer's full legal name and full address of the physical location of the issuer's home or business; except that this provision shall not apply to an Election Period Communication to which division (B)(4) applies.
(D) Disclosure of sources of funds. An issuer filing an Election Period Communications Report that discloses under 107.03(B)(1)(c)-(f) any person making a monetary or in-kind contribution, or to whom debts are owed, equal to or exceeding an aggregated amount of one thousand ($1000) dollars during the ninety (90) days before or on the day of the election, and is tax exempt under section 501(c) or 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, or registered as a partnership, closely-held company, or limited liability company, must also disclose all donors who have provided monetary or in-kind contributions or extended credit equal to or exceeding an aggregated amount of two hundred ($200) dollars to that person with the expectation that the monetary or in-kind contribution or credit extended would be used for the purpose of influencing the results of a municipal candidate or municipal ballot issue election. Donor information shall be reported as required by division (B) of this section. Subsequent reports in accordance with division (B)(3) shall be filed when a payment is made on a debt.
(Ord. No. 3386-2018, § 2, 1-14-2019; Ord. No. 1763-2019, § 1, 7-1-2019)
Source: City of Columbus, City Codes and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/oh/columbus/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT1ADCO_CH107EL_107.03ELPECODISOFUFetched: 10/27/2026