The Roanoke Times is reporting the Virginia State Board of Elections is drafting policies for the detailed investigation of candidates' financial expenditures. Future candidates are likely to face stricter examination of their campaign expenditure filings.
The Board moved to adopt the policy change after it had begun to take a closer look at the campaign filings of Roanoke Delegate Onzlee Ware. The Board requested amended expenditure filings from Ware after receiving a complaint from the opponent Ware defeated in the recent Democratic primary.
The move by the Board to have candidates actually complete filings with detailed information in a timely manner is refreshing. Candidates often file expenditure reports with vague entries using terms like reimbursements, vendor, and services. Donor records sometimes contain incomplete names and addresses.
Virginia is one of only four states that allow unlimited donations to a candidate as well as donations from companies. With this anything goes approach to campaign finance in the Commonwealth, the more transparency the better.
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