N.J. Admin. Code § 19:25-15.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024
Section 19:25-15.3 - Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

"Candidate" shall also mean an individual who is selected and certified pursuant to N.J.A.C. 19:25-15.4A who seeks election to the office of Lieutenant Governor.

"Contribution" is used as defined in N.J.A.C. 19:25-1.7 and includes loans, except that a loan in the ordinary course of business by a bank pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:44A-44 is not a contribution by that bank.

"Contribution eligible for match" means contributions from one contributor to be matched from public funds on a two-for-one basis. No contribution, which must be, or is intended by the contributor or the recipient to be, refunded or repaid at any time, no loan obtained pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:44A-44, no funds received from the housekeeping account of a State political party committee or county political party committee authorized pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:44A-10.2, no amount of the candidate's own funds in the aggregate in excess of $ 5,800, no in-kind contribution, and no other moneys received by the candidates for Governor and for Lieutenant Governor, their campaign treasurer, or deputy campaign treasurer, except those contributions described at N.J.S.A. 19:44A-29(a) shall be deemed contributions eligible for match.

"County committee" means the county committee of a political party established pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:5-3.

"Debate sponsor" means the organization or organizations to which the Commission has delegated the responsibility for conducting one or both of the two televised interactive general election debates for candidates for the office of Governor or the one televised interactive general election debate for candidates for the office of Lieutenant Governor.

"Depository bank account" means the campaign bank account designated by a candidate pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:44A-9 for the deposit pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:44A-12 of funds received by the campaign treasurer.

"Gubernatorial candidate" means an individual seeking election to the office of Governor, an individual seeking election to the office of Lieutenant Governor, or both, for purposes of this subchapter, in a general election in which the office of Governor is to be filled.

"Gubernatorial inaugural fund-raising event" means any event or events held between the date of the general election for the offices of Governor and of Lieutenant Governor and 30 days after the date of the inauguration of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, whether the event is sponsored by the inaugural committee, the State committee representing the party of the Governor-elect, or any other person or persons, and at which the Governor-elect or Lieutenant Governor-elect are prominent participants or for which solicitations of contributions include the name of the Governor-elect or Lieutenant Governor-elect in prominent display.

"Interactive general election debate" means the moderated reciprocal discussion of issues among the candidates for the office of Governor or among the candidates for the office of Lieutenant Governor, which involves responses by the candidates to questions posed by the representative or representatives of the sponsor organization.

"Matching fund account" means the campaign bank account or accounts opened pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:44A-32 by a campaign treasurer of a candidate, or deputy campaign treasurer, in which only contributions eligible for match may be deposited.

"Municipal committee" means the municipal committee of a political party established pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:5-2.

"Non-participating candidate" means any candidate who does not make application for public funding in a general election pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:25-15.17, or who is not a "qualified candidate" as that term is defined in this section. In no case shall a candidate who qualified for and receives any public funding for a general election be subsequently deemed a non-participating candidate for that election.

"Own funds" means funds to which the candidate is legally and beneficially entitled, but shall not include funds as to which the candidate is a trustee or funds given or otherwise transferred to the candidate by any person other than the spouse of the candidate for use in aid of his or her candidacy.

"Person" includes an individual, a corporation, an association or a labor union. For purposes of this subchapter, person does not include a partnership. A spouse of any person is deemed to be a separate person.

"Public fund account" means the campaign bank account created by the Commission pursuant to N.J.A.C. 19:25-15.20 on behalf of qualified candidates and for the deposit of public matching funds.

"Qualified candidates" mean candidates for election to the offices of Governor and of Lieutenant Governor who have deposited and expended $ 580,000 pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:44A-32; and who, not later than September 1 preceding a general election in which the offices of Governor and of Lieutenant Governor are to be filled, apply to the Commission to receive public funds for gubernatorial campaign expenses; and who certify and file required reports regarding any issue advocacy organization involvement; and the candidate for election to office of Governor certifies their agreement to participate in two interactive general election debates and the candidate for election to the office of Lieutenant Governor certifies their agreement to participate in one interactive general election debate.

"State committee" means the State committee of a political party established pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:5-4.

"State committee account" means the campaign bank account created by a State committee of a political party pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:44A-29(d) on behalf of any candidate the committee intends to or does assist for election to the offices of Governor and of Lieutenant Governor in a general election, and in which only contributions eligible for match may be deposited and proceeds from any loan made by the State committee pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:44A-44.

"Submission for matching funds" includes a list of all contributions received and all expenditures made or incurred, whether a qualified candidate or a non-participating candidate, filed for the purpose of receiving public funds for campaign expenses or for participation in the series of interactive debates.

N.J. Admin. Code § 19:25-15.3

Amended by 50 N.J.R. 911(a), effective 2/20/2018
Amended by 52 N.J.R. 2190(a), effective 12/21/2020
Amended by 56N.J.R. 1109(b), effective 6/17/2024
Amended by 56 N.J.R. 2349(a), effective 12/16/2024