Edmonton Elections has released more information about properly disclosing campaign finances, as political parties are introduced into this year’s municipal election.
Alberta’s Local Authorities Election Act was altered last year to allow for the creation of political parties in civic elections. Municipal parties must be separate and distinct from federal and provincial parties, and they cannot receive campaign contributions from those parties.
On Friday, Aileen Giesbrecht, Edmonton’s city clerk and an officer with Edmonton Elections, outlined the timeline for those interested in running, as well as transparency rules around campaign finances.
“Candidates are now able to campaign over a broader period of time, and one of the conditions within the Local Authorities Election Act is an annual disclosure,” Giesbrecht said during a virtual information session.
Edmonton Elections, a nonpartisan group within the office of the city clerk, organizes and carries out elections for the City of Edmonton, as well as trustee positions with the Edmonton Public School Board and Edmonton Catholic School Division.
The official campaign period for this year’s election started last October and will run through December.
Edmontonians interested in becoming candidates must submit a written notice of intent before fundraising, accepting any campaign contributions or racking up any campaign expenses.
This election’s campaign period is longer, so mandidates will have to include a second campaign disclosure statement, Giesbrecht said.
“Even if you didn’t have any contributions, you didn’t self finance anything, and you had no expenses, you still have an obligation as a candidate that submitted your notice of intent to run,” she said.
If a notice of intent was filed in 2024, candidates will be required to submit their first disclosure by March 3. The second disclosure will be expected in 2026 for campaign contributions.
Politcal parties will have until March 2026 to submit disclosure.
Chris Heywood, a strategist with Edmonton Elections, also noted various stipulations regarding what kinds of donations can be accepted.
“Candidates must not ask for, or accept, contributions that were submitted anonymously,” Heywood said.
“The same goes for accepting contributions made by an ineligible contributor, or contributions that will cause that contributor to exceed their personal limit, or [that] are being made with funds not belonging to the contributor.”
Candidates must also maintain campaign finance accounts and records separately and issue receipts for every contribution received.
People running can self-fiance their campaigns up to $10,000, but Edmontonians can only donate $5,000 to all candidates and registered parties in a municipality.
Corporations, trade unions or employee organizations can donate $5,000 to candidates per campaign period, along with $5,000 donations to registered political parties.
Donors cannot combine balances to increase contribution limits to political parties, a City of Edmonton spokesperson told CBC News.
Expense limits for civic election candidates and political parties range from $40,000 to more than $1 million. There are no expense limits for school board trustee candidates or political parties in trustee elections.
Anyone who fails to comply with Edmonton Elections requirements will be reported to the election commissioner for investigation.
The municipal election is on Oct. 20.
