Coffman Launches Political Campaign Finance Trainings to Promote Openness and Transparency

Regional trainings offered for candidate and issue committees as the 2008 elections approach

Denver, September 17, 2007 – Secretary of State Mike Coffman today announced the launch of a regional training campaign to ensure political candidate committees and issue committees follow Colorado political campaign finance laws as the 2008 election cycle approaches.

“In order for the public to trust the political process there must be accountability, openness and transparency,” Coffman said. “As the heated 2008 election year draws near, it is critical that the candidate and issue committees that will raise and spend millions of dollars in Colorado understand and follow our campaign finance laws. My office has created these training sessions to ensure that political committees have the information they need to follow the law.”

Candidate and issue committees are required to file financial records with the Secretary of State’s office throughout the election cycle, including itemizing the contributions they receive and the expenditures they make. Coffman’s administration recently replaced the paper-filing provisions with an electronic filing requirement, so the public can gain immediate access to the finances of political committees online.

Over the next two months training sessions will be held in Alamosa, Colorado Springs, Glenwood Springs and the Denver Metro area. The Secretary of State staff will be presenting two classes in each location. One class focuses on the laws and rules surrounding campaign and political finance while the other class has been designed as a hands-on training with the online filing system. The online class is presented to assist filers with learning how to use the system, which is especially helpful for those state committees who will be required to file electronically after October 1. County candidates and committees are also welcomed and encouraged to attend the online class because they can voluntary file electronically.

Full details are available at the Campaign Finance page of the Secretary of State’s website, http://www.elections.colorado.gov/DDefault.aspx?tid=85.