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Nevada > Statutes > Campaign Practices General Provisions

N.R.S. 294A.0035 – “Campaign expenses” defined

Overview of Statute

This section defines “campaign expenses.”

Statute

“Campaign expenses” means:

1. All expenses incurred by a candidate for a campaign, including, without limitation:

(a) Office expenses;

(b) Expenses related to volunteers;

(c) Expenses related to travel;

(d) Expenses related to advertising;

(e) Expenses related to paid staff;

(f) Expenses related to consultants;

(g) Expenses related to polling;

(h) Expenses related to special events;

(i) Expenses related to a legal defense fund;

(j) Contributions made to another candidate, a nonprofit corporation that is registered or required to be registered pursuant to NRS 294A.225, a committee for political action that is registered or required to be registered pursuant to NRS 294A.230 or a committee for the recall of a public officer that is registered or required to be registered pursuant to NRS 294A.250;

(k) Fees for filing declarations of candidacy; and

(l) Repayment or forgiveness of a loan.

2. Expenditures, as defined in NRS 294A.0075.

3. The disposal of any unspent contributions pursuant to NRS 294A.160.

      (Added to NRS by 2011, 3286; A 2013, 2380; 2019, c.546.)

Definition [Contribution]

1.  “Contribution” means a gift, loan, conveyance, deposit, payment, transfer or distribution of money or of anything of value other than the services of a volunteer, and includes:

      (a) The payment by any person, other than a candidate, of compensation for the personal services of another person which are rendered to a:

             (1) Candidate;

             (2) Person who makes an independent expenditure; or

             (3) Committee for political action, political party or committee sponsored by a political party which makes an expenditure for or against a candidate or group of candidates, without charge to the candidate, person, committee or political party.

      (b) The value of services provided in kind for which money would have otherwise been paid, such as paid polling and resulting data, paid direct mail, paid solicitation by telephone, any paid paraphernalia that was printed or otherwise produced to promote a campaign and the use of paid personnel to assist in a campaign.

2.  As used in this section, “volunteer” means a person who does not receive compensation of any kind, directly or indirectly, for the services provided to a campaign.

See Nev. Rev. Stat. § 294A.007.

Definition [Expenditures]

1.  Money paid for advertising or communication on television, radio, billboards or posters, in newspapers or other periodicals or by mail; and

2.  All other money paid, to advocate expressly the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or group of candidates or the passage or defeat of a clearly identified question or group of questions on the ballot, including any payments made to a candidate or any person who is related to the candidate within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity.

See Nev. Rev. Stat. § 294A.0075.

Definition [Legal defense fund]

An account established to defray attorney’s fees or other legal costs incurred by a candidate or public officer if such a candidate or public officer becomes subject to any civil, criminal or administrative claim or proceeding arising from a campaign, the electoral process or the performance of official duties.

See Nev. Rev. Stat. § 294A.0078.

Definition [Committee for political action]

      1.  “Committee for political action” means:

      (a) Any group of natural persons or entities that solicits or receives contributions from any other person, group or entity and:

             (1) Makes or intends to make contributions to candidates or other persons; or

             (2) Makes or intends to make expenditures,

Ê designed to affect the outcome of any primary election, general election, special election or question on the ballot.

      (b) Any business or social organization, corporation, partnership, association, trust, unincorporated organization or labor union:

             (1) Which has as its primary purpose affecting the outcome of any primary election, general election, special election or any question on the ballot and for that purpose receives contributions in excess of $1,500 in a calendar year or makes expenditures in excess of $1,500 in a calendar year; or

             (2) Which does not have as its primary purpose affecting the outcome of any primary election, general election, special election or any question on the ballot, but for the purpose of affecting the outcome of any election or question on the ballot receives contributions in excess of $5,000 in a calendar year or makes independent expenditures in excess of $5,000 in a calendar year.

      2.  “Committee for political action” does not include:

      (a) An organization made up of legislative members of a political party whose primary purpose is to provide support for their political efforts.

      (b) An entity solely because it provides goods or services to a candidate or committee in the regular course of its business at the same price that would be provided to the general public.

      (c) An individual natural person.

      (d) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of subsection 1, an individual corporation or other business organization who has filed articles of incorporation or other documentation of organization with the Secretary of State pursuant to title 7 of NRS.

      (e) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of subsection 1, a labor union.

      (f) A personal campaign committee or the personal representative of a candidate who receives contributions or makes expenditures that are reported as contributions or expenditures by the candidate.

      (g) A committee for the recall of a public officer.

      (h) A major or minor political party or any committee sponsored by a major or minor political party.

See Nev. Rev. Stat. § 294A.0055.

Definition [Loan]

A transfer of money, property or anything of value in exchange for an obligation to repay the transfer of money in whole or in part.

See Nev. Rev. Stat. § 294A.008.

Definition [Committee for the recall of a public officer]

An organization that:

      1.  Receives any contributions, makes any contributions to candidates or persons or makes any expenditures that are designed to affect the recall of a public officer; or

      2.  Files a notice of intent to circulate the petition for recall.

See Nev. Rev. Stat. § 294A.006.

Definition [Candidate]

Any person:

      1.  Who files a declaration of candidacy;

      2.  Who files an acceptance of candidacy;

      3.  Whose name appears on an official ballot at any election; or

      4.  Who has received one or more contributions in excess of $100, regardless of whether:

      (a) The person has filed a declaration of candidacy or an acceptance of candidacy; or

      (b) The name of the person appears on an official ballot at any election.

See Nev. Rev. Stat. § 294A.005.