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Alaska Department of Administration Alaska Public Offices Commission

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Alaska Public Offices Commission

Alaska Public Offices Commission

Contribution Limits

In light of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Thompson v. Hebdon, APOC staff issued a draft advisory opinion concerning contribution limits. Staff recommended that the limits in effect prior to those struck down as unconstitutional be revived and adjusted for inflation.

On Monday, February 28, 2022, the Commission held a meeting to consider staff’s draft opinion and on March 3, 2022, issued its Final Order disapproving the draft opinion. Accordingly, until the Alaska State Legislature takes action on this issue, there are no longer any individual-to-candidate; and individual-to-non-political party contributions limits for Alaska’s state and local elections.

Additionally, the non-political party group-to-candidate; and non-political party group-to-non-political party group limits of $1,000 per calendar year remain unchanged because the Thompson court did not strike down that portion of AS 15.13.070; and the Commission declined to approve staff’s proposed revival of both the individual limits and the non-political party group limits. Therefore, because the Thompson court did not strike down the non-political party group-to-candidate and non-political party group-to non-political party-group limits, the $1,000 limit established under AS 15.13.070(c) remains in effect.

Advisory Opinion Decision AO 21-09-CD

Ballot Measure 2

Effective February 28, 2021, there are new requirements for person that have made, and/or may be making independent expenditures supporting or opposing candidates in Alaska elections. These new requirements affect both the maker of independent expenditures and their contributors.

Groups or entities making independent expenditures are required to identify the true source(s) of all contributions received from a single contributor in excess of $2,000 within 24 hours of receipt. [AS 15.13.110(k), eff. Feb. 28, 2021]

Persons who contribute in excess of $2,000 to a group or entity making independent expenditures, are required to identify the true source(s) of the money contributed by informing the receiving group or entity of the true source(s) at the time the contribution is made and by filing a statement of contributions report within 24 hours. [AS 15.13.040(r), eff. Feb. 28, 2021]

In general, “true source” means the person or legal entity whose contribution is funded from wages, investment income, inheritance, or revenue generated from selling goods or services. A person or legal entity who derived funds via contributions, donations, dues, or gifts is not the true source, but rather an intermediary for the true source. [AS 15.13.400(19)], eff. Feb. 28, 2021]

These reports will be filed through the APOC online filing system, accessed via myAlaska.

Ballot Measure 2
Ballot Measure 2 FAQs
Advisory Opinion 21-01-CD
Advisory Opinion 21-02-CD
Advisory Opinion 21-04-CD

Mission

To encourage the public's confidence in their elected and appointed officials by administering Alaska's disclosure statutes and publishing financial information regarding the activities of election campaigns, public officials, lobbyists and lobbyist employers.

Encouraging Public Confidence

Search APOC Online Reports

A comprehensive list of information provided by the Alaska Public Offices Commission, can be found on our Search Reports page.

Advisory Opinions
Searchable list of requests for advice from the commission regarding the propriety of specific activities.
Campaign Disclosure
Searchable reports of campaign activities, including Candidate Lists.
Lobbying Disclosure
Search reports from Lobbyists and Employers of Lobbyists.
Complaints
Searchable list of formal allegations filed with the commission.
Published reports
Additional reports of APOC activities, findings, and recommendations, including Lobbying summaries.

Highlights