Campaign Finance: The Basics

Why campaign finance rules matter

Campaigns need money. A candidate may need to pay for transport, posters, printing, phone calls, internet use, meetings, media advertisements, volunteer coordination and other campaign activities. Money can help a candidate reach voters. It can also create risk if it comes from the wrong source, is not recorded, or is not disclosed properly.

Campaign finance rules exist because voters have a right to know who is supporting political parties and candidates. These rules also help prevent hidden influence, vote buying, corruption and unfair advantages. A candidate who wants to build trust should treat campaign money as a matter of public responsibility, not as a private arrangement.

For candidates, the most important lesson is simple: know where every dollar, item, service or benefit came from, know who authorised it, keep records, and disclose what the law requires. A small campaign still needs proper records. A first-time candidate is still subject to the law.

What law this article explains

This article explains key candidate-facing parts of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013. The Act regulates political parties, political finance, disclosures, records, accounts and some conduct rules.

The Act applies differently to political parties, party office holders, party candidates, independent candidates, donors, companies, other entities and people acting on behalf of parties or candidates. Some duties fall mainly on political parties. Some duties fall directly on candidates. Some restrictions apply to any person who gives or receives political donations.

This article is written for learning purposes. It does not replace the Act, official forms or legal advice. Before an election, candidates should check the latest forms, notices and instructions issued by the Registrar, the Fijian Elections Office and the Electoral Commission.

The basic rule for campaign money

The basic rule is that campaign money must come from lawful sources, must be within the legal limits, and must be disclosed where the Act requires disclosure.

Section 21 of the Act sets out permitted sources of funds for political parties and independent candidates. Section 22 sets out offences related to sources of funds and political donations. Sections 23 to 26 set out publication, declaration, record-keeping and audit duties.

The Act does not only cover cash. A political donation is defined broadly in section 22(12). It includes money, goods and services, a loan, credit facility, bond, share, negotiable security or property made at no charge to a registered political party or to a candidate, including to a person acting on behalf of the party or candidate.

There is one important exclusion. Volunteer labour provided at no charge by that person is not treated as a political donation under section 22(12). This means a person volunteering their time can help a campaign without that labour being counted as a donation. However, if someone provides goods, services, money, credit or property at no charge, that may fall within the donation rules.

Party funds and independent candidate funds

Political parties and independent candidates have different permitted sources of funds.

For a political party, section 21(1) states that funds may only come from membership fees, voluntary contributions, donations, bequests and grants from a lawful source, not being from a foreign government, inter-governmental or non-governmental organisation, and income derived from any building owned by the political party.

For an independent candidate, section 21(2) states that funds must only come from voluntary contributions, donations, bequests and grants from a lawful source, not being from a foreign government, inter-governmental or non-governmental organisation.

The Act also requires disclosure. Under section 21(3), a political party, a candidate and an independent candidate for election to Parliament must disclose to the Registrar full particulars of all funds or other resources obtained from any source, including the name and address of the source.

For candidates, this means two practical things. First, do not accept money, goods, services or other support unless you know the source is legally permitted. Second, record the name and address of the source immediately. If you wait until after polling day, you may not be able to reconstruct the information properly.

Candidate duties are personal

Campaign finance is not only a party matter. A party candidate may be nominated by a political party, but the Act still refers to candidates for election to Parliament. An independent candidate is also directly regulated.

Section 21(3) refers to political parties, candidates and independent candidates. Section 22 repeatedly refers to a political party or a candidate for election to Parliament, including people acting on behalf of the party or candidate. Section 24 contains declaration duties for a person nominated by a political party as a candidate and a person nominated as an independent candidate.

This matters because a candidate cannot simply say, “the party handled the money”, if the candidate personally received money, donations, goods, services or other resources. A candidate should ask how the party manages campaign funds, who is allowed to receive money, who issues receipts, who keeps records and what information the candidate must provide for disclosures.

Independent candidates have to manage these systems themselves. They need a simple but reliable method for recording every contribution, donation, pledge, income item and expenditure item.

Why records matter from the first day

A campaign finance record should begin before the campaign becomes busy. Once public meetings, travel, printing and media work begin, it becomes harder to remember details accurately.

At minimum, a candidate should keep:

• The date money or support was received.
• The donor’s full name.
• The donor’s address.
• Confirmation that the donor is legally allowed to donate.
• The amount or value of the donation.
• Whether the support was cash, goods, services, loan, credit, property or another benefit.
• The purpose for which the money or support was used.
• Receipts, invoices, bank records and authorisation records.
• Any refund, rejected donation or returned support.

Good records protect the candidate. They also protect voters, donors, parties and campaign workers. If the Registrar asks for information, proper records make it easier to respond truthfully and on time.

A simple finance checklist

Before accepting money or support, ask these questions:

• Is the donor an individual?
• Is the donor a Fijian citizen or former Fijian citizen?
• Has the donor already donated up to the annual $10,000 limit?
• Is the support coming directly from the donor, rather than through a company, body corporate or other entity?
• Is the support really volunteer labour, or is it goods, services, credit, property or another benefit?
• Can we record the name, address, amount, date and source clearly?
• Is the donation allowed under party rules?
• Can this be disclosed if required?

If the answer is uncertain, do not accept the money or support until the issue is checked. A donation that feels helpful on the day can become a serious legal problem later.