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Background

In 1995 the Ohio legislature passed campaign finance reform legislation limiting campaign contributions and requiring certain types of financial disclosure. One type of disclosure required was employer identification of certain contributors. Statewide and Ohio General Assembly candidates are required to disclose the employer of contributors who gave more than $100. Candidates are required to make a "Best Effort" to obtain this information. People making contributions are also required by law to provide this employer identification to the candidates. This study examines candidates' record of compliance with the employer identification requirement in the law. Section 3517.10 (B)(4) of the Ohio Revised Codes requires that a statement of contributions received shall include -- "(ii) If a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or candidate for the office of member of the general assembly receives a contribution from an individual that exceeds one hundred dollars, the name of the individual's current employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, his occupation" Section 3517.10(E)(2) of the Ohio Revised Code states the following: "Any individual who makes a contribution that exceeds one hundred dollars to a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or candidate for the office of member of the general assembly shall provide the name of the individual's current employer, if any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the individual's occupation to the recipient of the contribution at the time the contribution is made." The law requires that the name of the employer be provided and disclosed if the person is employed by another. If self-employed, the occupation of the individual may be disclosed. "Best Effort" has been defined by the Secretary of State to include notices requesting employer identifications in campaign solicitation materials and one follow-up attempt by candidate staff to obtain the employer identification. In this report, candidates were given credit for employer identification where the employer was provided. Listing "Best Efforts" was not counted as providing the employer identification. This study is based on the 1998 candidate campaign finance reports computerized by the Ohio Secretary of State. It includes 1998 reports and addenda for all statewide candidates and legislative candidates submitted to the Secretary of State before March 26, 1999. As a courtesy to candidates, a copy of their individual analysis was sent to them the week of April 12, so they could verify its accuracy. Corrections were made in this final report based on appropriate feedback from candidates and their staffs.