Initiative 70 The Prohibition on Corporate Campaign Contributions Initiative of 2012 Frequently Asked Questions 1. What is an initiative?

How is it different from a referendum? An initiative is a process by which District of Columbia voters can propose a new law through the ballot. A referendum is a process by which DC voters can repeal a law through the ballot. Initiative 70, The Prohibition on Corporate Campaign Contributions Initiative of 2012, proposes a new D.C. campaign finance law through the ballot. 2. What does Initiative 70 propose to do?

Initiative 70, if passed, will prohibit corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs) and partnerships from making a direct political contribution to: Principal campaign committees (i.e. candidates for office, including incumbents) Exploratory committees Legal defense committees Transition committees Inaugural committees, or Constituent-service programs

3. Will Initiative 70 curb pay-to-play in D.C. politics? Initiative 70 wont solve every campaign finance issue. However, it does strike at the heart of the most troubling issuethe distortion of the policy-making process by the ability of large corporate donors to hand thousands of dollars to grateful incumbents. 4. Will Initiative 70 prohibit corporations and other business entities from making contributions to District of Columbia political action committees (PACs)? No, Initiative 70 does not change corporations and similar entities First Amendment constitutional right to engage in independent political advocacy. 5. Will Initiative 70 prohibit corporations and other business entities from making independent expenditures (i.e. engaging in political advocacy independently of any D.C. candidate or committee)? No, Initiative 70 does not change corporations and similar entities First Amendment constitutional right to engage in independent political advocacy. The 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision Citizens United v. FEC does not impact Initiative 70.

Paid for DC Public Trust, M. Mindy Moretti Treasurer. A copy of our report is on file with the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance. http://dcpublictrust.org | @dcpublictrust

Initiative 70 The Prohibition on Corporate Campaign Contributions Initiative of 2012 Frequently Asked Questions 6. Why doesnt Initiative 70 include labor unions? In D.C. elections, unions have historically participated in political advocacy through independent expenditures, such as mailing their own materials and organizing their own canvassing schedules. When unions do contribute to local D.C. candidates, they generally only contribute to the individual contribution limit. Initiative 70 is specific to D.C. political practices and based on our practices and history unions were not included in the measure. 7. If approved by voters, could the Council of the District of Columbia overturn Initiative 70? Unfortunately, yes. District law allows an initiative approved by voters to be overturned by the Council. However, the founding principles of the resident-led D.C. Committee to Restore the Public Trust is to make a clean break from the past and keep up the pressure that our District officials answer to usthe people they are elected to represent. 8. Would D.C. be the only jurisdiction to ban direct corporate campaign contributions to political candidates and candidate committees? No, D.C. would join more than 20 states that ban direct corporate campaign contributions to candidates and candidate committees. Since 1907 federal election law has prohibited corporations from donating directly to candidates for federal office, including U.S. Congress and President of the United States. 9. How many signatures are needed for Initiative 70 to get on the November 6 General Election ballot? Based on voter registration statistics, Initiative 70 needs about 23,000 registered voter signatures from across the city to qualify for the November 6 General Election ballot. Signatures are due July 9, 5:00 p.m. at the DC Board of Elections and Ethics in order to qualify for the November 6 General Election ballot. 10. Assuming Initiative 70 qualifies for the November 6 General Election ballot, when would I get to vote on it? Initiative 70 will appear on the November 6 General Election ballot, assuming the required number of qualified D.C. voter signatures are gathered. The initiative will be voted on city-wide.

Paid for DC Public Trust, M. Mindy Moretti Treasurer. A copy of our report is on file with the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance. http://dcpublictrust.org | @dcpublictrust

Initiative 70 The Prohibition on Corporate Campaign Contributions Initiative of 2012 Frequently Asked Questions 11. Who can circulate a petition to put Initiative 70 on the November 6 General Election ballot? Any registered D.C. voter may circulate a petition to put Initiative 70 on the November 6 General Election ballot. 12. Who can sign a petition to put Initiative 70 on the November 6 General Election ballot? Only registered D.C. voters can sign the petition to put Initiative 70 on the November 6 General Election ballot. 13. What information do I put on the petition? The petition will request the registered voters signature, name, address, date and Ward in which s/he lives. The DC Board of Elections and Ethics will use this information to verify the voter is registered in DC. 14. Does the voters signature have to be legible? What if the handwriting is messy? Voters should do their best to sign the petition as clearly as possible. If the signature is messy and/or illegible AND some other information on the petition is missing or hard to verify, the Board may disqualify the signature. The purpose of the signature is to provide the DC Board of Elections and Ethics with enough information to verify voter registration. 15. What if I recently moved within the city? Which address should I put on the petition? You should put your new address on the petition. Then, as soon as possible, choose one of the following options to file your updated address: A. call the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics at 202-727-2525 to request a change of address form; B. visit https://www.dcboee.org/voter_info/reg_status/ to complete the Online Voter Registration form; once you have completed the Online Voter Registration form you will need to print it out, sign it, and mail it to the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics; or C. visit the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics at 441 4th St., NW Ste. 250N and complete the paperwork in person.

Paid for DC Public Trust, M. Mindy Moretti Treasurer. A copy of our report is on file with the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance. http://dcpublictrust.org | @dcpublictrust

Initiative 70 The Prohibition on Corporate Campaign Contributions Initiative of 2012 Frequently Asked Questions 16. I havent voted in a while, and Im not sure if my voter registration is listed as inactive. Can I still sign the petition? Yes, you can sign the petition. Then, as soon as possible, choose one of the following options to verify your registration: A. call the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics at 202-727-2525 or B. visit https://www.dcboee.org/voter_info/reg_status/. Your signature will not be counted if you are on the inactive voter list. 17. There are a few circulators in my neighborhood with petitions. Can I sign more than once? Please try not to sign more than one petition. Your signature is counted only once. 18. If I am registered to vote in Ward 1, do I sign a Ward 1 petition? Are the petitions ward-specific? No, the petitions are not ward-specific. You can sign any petition circulated in any ward.

Paid for DC Public Trust, M. Mindy Moretti Treasurer. A copy of our report is on file with the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance. http://dcpublictrust.org | @dcpublictrust