SPENDING IN COLORADO STATE ELECTIONS DURING THE ELECTIONEERING REPORTING GAP

JUNE 29 SEPTEMBER 8 2016

$1.9 million of spending was reported as

$1.9 Million Spent on Advertising advertising or electioneering during the
During Electioneering Reporting Gap electioneering reporting gap by statewide
committees, excluding candidate and issue
committees:
Advertising spending Spending reported 527 Political Organizations $1,690,539.01
not reported as as electioneering Independent Expenditure Committees $232,902.70
electioneering $525,857.85 Political Party Committees $5,828.32
$1,404,934.99 27%
73% Political Committees $1,000.00
Small Donor Committees $522.81

More money may have been spent on advertising

but the lack of disclosure requirements during the
gap makes the actual total unknown

Total does not include political spending by

nonprofits or corporations that are not registered
and regularly reporting; no reporting of their
candidate advertising is required during the gap

Advertising and Electioneering Spending by Party Support

During Electioneering Reporting Gap
$1,200,000
$1,069,218.70

$1,000,000
$856,700.55
$800,000

$362,280.46
$600,000
$1,037,780.94

$400,000

$494,420.09
$200,000

$0 $31,437.76
Democratic supporting committees Republican supporting committees

Spending reported as electioneering Advertising spending not reported as electioneering

Democratic supporting committees reported 58% as electioneering and 42% as advertising. Republican supporting committees
reported 3% as electioneering and 97% as advertising. The remaining $4,873.59 of advertising spending was not reported as
electioneering by committees that supported both major parties, third parties or unaffiliated. Support was determined by the
committees stated purpose and spending on candidates.
Colorado Ethics Watch 1630 Welton St, Ste 203, Denver, CO 80202 (303) 626-2100 www.coethicswatch.org @COEthicsWatch Mar 2017