§ 907. Citizens' election fund system.

(a)

The County Council shall, by ordinance, establish a Citizens' Election Fund system for candidates for County Council or County Executive, or both. The ordinance shall include, but not be limited to, Provisions that:

(1)

Allow candidates to choose whether to participate in the Citizens' Election Fund System;

(2)

Establish a Citizens' Election Fund Commission consisting of five County residents appointed by the council and two County residents appointed by the County Executive, and provide for the qualifications, terms, and officers of the commission; and

(3)

Require the Commission to calculate, not later than 180 days prior to the end of the fiscal year, the total amount estimated for the full election cycle and the amount to be included in the current expense budget for the ensuing fiscal year to fully fund the Citizens' Election Fund System.

(b)

(1)

Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, in each fiscal year the Executive shall include in the Annual Budget and Appropriation Ordinance required by Article VI of this Charter the amount necessary to fully fund the Citizens' Election Fund System for the ensuing fiscal year, as calculated by the Commission.

(2)

Notwithstanding any provision of Article VI of this Charter to the contrary, if the Executive does not include the amount required by paragraph (1) of this subsection, the County Council may amend the Annual Budget and Appropriation Ordinance required by Article VI to include the required amount.

(c)

The Executive is not required to include in the Annual Budget and Appropriation Ordinance the amount required by subsection (b)(1) of this section if:

(1)

During the current fiscal year, funds have been or are being transferred from the Budget Stabilization Account to the General Fund Revenues in the current expense budget pursuant to Section 615A of this Charter; or

(2)

Not later than 120 days prior to the end of the fiscal year, the Executive certifies to the Council that the County's fiscal condition makes it imprudent to include the amount, and the Council approves the certification by a vote of not less than two-thirds of its members.

Editor's note

An amendment adding § 907 proposed by Res. No. 27, 2016 was approved at an election held on Nov. 8, 2016, and shall take effect for the 2022 election cycle.