Before raising any contributions under this subtitle, an applicant candidate must:file a notice of intent with the State Board in the manner that the State Board requires; and establish a publicly funded campaign account. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, an applicant candidate may not accept:an eligible contribution of more than $150 in the aggregate during an election; or a loan. An applicant candidate may loan or contribute up to $6,000 during an election cycle from:the applicant candidate; or the applicant candidate’s spouse. the contribution limit set forth in subsection (b)(1) of this section must be adjusted for the next election cycle on July 1, 2028, and July 1 of each subsequent fourth year by the percentage increase in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson Consumer Price Index, as reported by the United States Department of Labor, rounded up by the nearest multiple of $10. The Director must publish this adjusted amount no later than the January 1 after the adjustment is made. Ord. 20-338

A candidate must apply to the State Board for certification during the qualifying period in the form that the State Board requires. An applicant candidate must include with the application any documentation required by the State or, in the absence of State requirements, the following:a declaration from the applicant candidate to follow the requirements governing the use of a public contribution; a campaign finance report that contains the information that the State Board requires for a campaign finance report and that includes:a list of each qualifying contribution received; a list of each expenditure made by the candidate during the qualifying period; a copy of the receipt associated with each contribution that identifies the contributor’s name and residential address; and a copy of the receipt associated with each expenditure; and a certificate of candidacy for Mayor, Council President, Comptroller, or City Councilmember. To qualify as a certified candidate:a candidate for Mayor must collect at least:500 qualifying contributions; and an aggregate total of $40,000; a candidate for Council President must collect at least:250 qualifying contributions; and an aggregate total of $15,000; a candidate for Comptroller must collect at least:250 qualifying contributions; and an aggregate total of $15,000; and a candidate for City Councilmember must collect at least:150 qualifying contributions; and an aggregate total of $5,000. An applicant candidate must deposit all contributions into the candidate’s publicly funded campaign account. An applicant candidate must deliver to the State Board a copy of a receipt for each qualifying contribution that identifies the contributor’s name and residential address that is signed by the contributor directly or by a digital signature using a method approved by the State Board. An applicant candidate is ineligible for certification if the State Board, in consultation with the Commission, has determined that the applicant candidate has:failed to submit a campaign finance report in the 4 years preceding the election cycle; coordinated with a political action committee; or violated any rule or regulation adopted under this subtitle. Ord. 20-338

Within 10 days of receiving a complete application for certification, the State Board must make a determination, in consultation with the Commission, whether to certify an applicant candidate. The State Board must notify the Director and the Commission of the State Board’s determination. Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, the decision by the Commission whether to certify a candidate is final. Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, on notice of the State Board’s certification of an applicant candidate, the Director must disperse the appropriate public contribution under <cite data-path="|5|§11-17">§ 11-17 {“Distribution of public contribution”} of this subtitle</cite>. The Director may not disburse any public funds to a candidate without first consulting with the Commission. If an application is denied, the applicant candidate may resubmit a new or modified application one time within the earlier of:10 business days after receiving notice that the application was denied; or the end of the qualifying period.

Only after consulting with the Commission, the Director must distribute a public contribution from the Fund to each certified candidate in a contested election only during the distribution period as follows:for a certified candidate for either Mayor, Council President, or Comptroller, the matching dollars must equal:$9 for each dollar of a qualifying contribution received for the first $25 of each qualifying contribution; $5 for each dollar of a qualifying contribution received for the next $50 of each qualifying contribution; and $2 for each dollar of a qualifying contribution received for the final $75 of each qualifying contribution. for a certified candidate for City Councilmember, the matching dollars must equal:$9 for each dollar of a qualifying contribution received for the first $25 of each qualifying contribution; $5 for each dollar of a qualifying contribution received for the next $50 of each qualifying contribution; and $0 for each dollar of a qualifying contribution received for the final $75 of each qualifying contribution. In addition to any public contributions made under subsection (a)(1) of this section, within 5 days of certification, the Director must disburse from the Fund a qualifying boost of:$200,000 for a candidate for Mayor; and $50,000 for a candidate for Council President or a candidate for Comptroller. A candidate may not receive more than 1 qualifying boost during an election cycle. Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the total public contribution payable to a certified candidate for either a primary or a general election may not exceed:$1,500,000 for a candidate for Mayor; $375,000 for a candidate for Council President; $200,000 for a candidate for Comptroller; and $125,000 for a candidate for City Councilmember. The limits specified in this subsection do not include the qualifying boost received by a candidate for Mayor or Council President. The Director may not distribute a public contribution based on:a contribution or loan from the candidate or the candidate’s spouse; or an in-kind contribution of property, goods, or services. On or before July 1 of each year preceding a primary election, the Director must determine if the amount in the Fund is sufficient to meet the maximum public contributions and qualifying boosts reasonably expected to be required during the next election cycle. If the Director determines that the total amount available for distribution in the Fund is insufficient to meet the allocations required by this section, the Director must reduce each public contribution and qualifying boost to a certified candidate by the same percentage of the total public contribution. Within 3 business days of the primary election, the Director must continue to disburse the appropriate public contribution for the general election to each participating candidate. Within 30 days of the certification by the City Board of the results of the primary election, a participating candidate who is not certified to be on the ballot for the general election must return to the Fund any unspent money in the candidate’s publicly funded campaign account. On or before December 31 after the general election, a participating candidate must return to the Fund any unspent money in the candidate’s publicly funded campaign account. In this subsection, “principal political party” has the meaning stated in <cite data-doc="Md. Code" data-path="gel|1-101">State Election Law Article, § 1-101 </cite>{“Definitions: Principal political parties”}. A certified candidate nominated by petition or by a party that is not a principal political party may receive a public contribution for the general election if the candidate’s nomination is certified by the City Board. A certified candidate under this subsection must qualify as a certified candidate at least 45 days before the date of the general election. Ord. 20-338

A participating candidate may only make expenditures from the publicly funded campaign account registered with the State Board for expenses incurred directly for the election after the candidate is certified. A participating candidate may not use any portion of a public contribution to pay for expenses or loans incurred prior to being certified. A participating candidate may not pay in advance for goods and services to be used after certification with non-qualifying contributions received before applying for certification. Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Director must reduce the public contribution to a participating candidate’s publicly funded campaign account by the total amount of all expenditures made after the end of the previous election cycle from the candidate’s non-participating campaign account. Expenditures made with contributions received prior to the end of the previous election cycle towards debts accrued before the end of the previous election cycle may not reduce the public contribution to a participating candidate’s publicly funded campaign account. A participating candidate may not use a public contribution for:personal expenses; expenses related to holding public office; paying for a personal endorsement; or paying for late filing fees. A participating candidate may not use a public contribution to :contribute to current or future candidates for elective offices other than the one being sought by the participating candidate; or contribute to any entity or organization, such as a political party. The Director, in consultation with the Commission, shall determine whether an expense is a permissible use of a public contribution, and the Director’s determination is final. A complaint alleging a prohibited receipt or use of funds by a participating candidate must be filed with the State Board. On request by the Commission, a participating candidate must provide the Commission with reasonable access to the financial records of the candidate’s publicly funded campaign account. A participating candidate must keep all records for a period of 4 years after the election to which the documents relate. The records must be retained by the campaign treasurer unless the State Board has been notified otherwise. Ord. 20-338

A certified candidate may withdraw an application for a public contribution any time before the public contribution is received by the candidate’s publicly funded campaign account. A participating candidate may withdraw from participating if the candidate:files a statement of withdrawal with the State Board and the Commission on a form that the State Board requires; and repays to the Fund the full amount of any public contribution received, plus interest accruing from the date of withdrawal at the same rate as the current bank prime loan rate reported by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. If the funds remaining in the participating candidate’s publicly funded campaign account at the time of withdrawal are insufficient to repay the Fund under subsection (b) of this section, the candidate is personally liable for repayment. The Director, in consultation with the Commission, may reduce any repayment under subsection (b) of this section for a participating candidate who must withdraw for health reasons or other cause not within the candidate’s control. In considering a repayment reduction under this subsection, the Director, in consultation with the Commission, may consider the participating candidate’s personal financial hardship. Ord. 20-338