Guidelines & Restrictions
Ensure you’re compliant with state political disclosure law, whether you’re a candidate, political committee, lobbyist, or an elected or appointed official.
Ensure you’re compliant with state political disclosure law, whether you’re a candidate, political committee, lobbyist, or an elected or appointed official.
These guidelines are distilled from the requirements in RCW 42.17A and WAC 390. Care has been taken to ensure the guidelines are accurate and concise. Nevertheless, they do not take the place of local, state, or federal laws.
Filter by audience for reporting guidelines and restrictions relevant to you or your interest area. Filter by interpretations or declaratory orders to see the Commission’s statements on how the law applies in certain situations.
Title | Type of Guideline | Audience(s) | Topic |
---|---|---|---|
Determining When an Entity is the Functional Equivalent of a Public Agency | Commission Interpretation | Public Agencies | Public Agency Facilities |
Employee Withholding for Political Contributions | General | Lobbyist Employer, Public Agencies | Campaign Contributions |
Guidelines for Local Government Agencies in Election Campaigns | Commission Interpretation | Candidates, Public Agencies | Public Agency Facilities |
Guidelines for School Districts in Election Campaigns Public disclosure law governing use of public facilities in school district campaigns |
Commission Interpretation | Candidates, Public Agencies | Public Agency Facilities |
In the matter of the Petition from Institute for Free Speech Regarding Pro Bono Legal Work The Commission issued an order concerning a non-profit organization's plan to provide pro bono legal services to a person who plans to appeal a ruling in a campaign finance court case. The order says the non-profit need not register or file reports with the PDC, nor disclose its donors, as long as it represents the person in his individual capacity in the appeal. [Declaratory Order No. 18, issued May 27, 2021] |
Declaratory Order | Candidates, Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee, Out-of-State Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer, Grassroots Lobbying, Public Agencies, Official filing financial affairs report, Elected Officials, Voters & the Public | Enforcement Cases, Rulemaking |
In the matter of the Petition from Institute for Free Speech Regarding Pro Bono Legal Work The Commission issued an order concerning a non-profit organization's plan to provide pro bono legal services to a person who plans to appeal a ruling in a campaign finance court case. The order says the non-profit need not register or file reports with the PDC, nor disclose its donors, as long as it represents the person in his individual capacity in the appeal. [Declaratory Order No. 18, issued May 27, 2021] |
Declaratory Order | Candidates, Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee, Out-of-State Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer, Grassroots Lobbying, Public Agencies, Official filing financial affairs report, Elected Officials, Voters & the Public | Enforcement Cases, Rulemaking |
Legal Fees Related to Placing, or Not Placing, a Proposition on the Ballot | Commission Interpretation | Political Committees, Public Agencies | |
Library Display of Campaign Materials | Commission Interpretation | Public Agencies, Elected Officials | Public Agency Facilities |
Limits on Publicly Funded Lobbying Public agencies must limit lobbying activities and avoid spending public funds on gifts to state officials or employees. |
General | Public Agencies | |
Penalty waivers for Small Business Paperwork Violations | Commission Interpretation | Candidates, Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee, Out-of-State Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer, Grassroots Lobbying, Public Agencies, Official filing financial affairs report, Elected Officials, Voters & the Public | |
Penalty waivers for Small Business Paperwork Violations | Commission Interpretation | Candidates, Political Committees, Bona Fide Party Committee, Out-of-State Political Committees, Sponsors of Independent Expenditures, Incidental Committees, Lobbyists, Lobbyist Employer, Grassroots Lobbying, Public Agencies, Official filing financial affairs report, Elected Officials, Voters & the Public | |
Wearing Political Pins, Buttons, Etc. | Commission Interpretation | Public Agencies, Elected Officials | Public Agency Facilities |