State to host training seminar in New Bedford for candidates for municipal office

New Bedford, Massachusetts– The Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) will hold a training seminar on the state’s filing and depository system for municipal candidates (incumbents and new candidates) on Wednesday, September 4 at 7:00 p.m. in the public meeting room on the 3^rd floor of the New Bedford Free Public Library, 613 Pleasant Street.  The New Bedford seminar is one of a series of training seminars OCPF is holding across the state.

The seminar is expected to last approximately an hour and will include review of the disclosure rules for raising and spending money, and the regulations concerning political activity by public employees and in public buildings.  It will also include a demonstration of OCPF’s e-filing and reporting software.  Candidates who file paper reports with their local election office can also use R6 to create and print reports.

Candidates for public office are required to organize with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance.  The training seminar is an opportunity for elected officials, candidates, campaign managers, treasurers or anyone interested in politics to learn about the requirements of campaign finance disclosure and to ask any questions they may have about record keeping and completing mandated reports.  Representatives of the OCPF will be on hand to review the rules and regulations of campaign finance as required by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 55.

Attendees will learn how to complete required reports including Summary Activity, Schedule A (receipts), Schedule B (expenditures), Schedule C (in-kind), Contributions and Schedule D (Liabilities).  OCPF representatives will answer any questions concerning campaign finance, filing requirements and other guidelines.

The seminar will also cover topics including the role public employees may play in a campaign, how ballot question committees work under campaign finance law, prohibition against use of public resources to support or oppose candidates or questions on the ballot. This seminar is open to the public and anyone interested can attend.

For more information, please contact the City of New Bedford Board of Election Commissioners at 508-979-1420.