*North Carolina law does not currently provide for regulation of campaign disclosures in the use of the internet or online social media.
ü Every advertisement appearing in the print media, on television or on radio that constitutes a contribution or expenditure under N.C.G.S Chapter 163, Article 22A, must state who paid for the ad. TV ads require a visual legend.
ü The name that is used in identifying who paid for an ad must be the formal name of the committee if the committee is the paying entity. The formal name is submitted by referendum committees to the Board of Elections on a Statement of Organization (CRO-2100E).
ü A sponsor must state whether an advertisement is authorized by a candidate if the ad is not paid for by the candidate or the candidate’s committee and the ad supports or opposes a candidate. If the advertisement is not authorized by the candidate or the candidate’s committee, the sponsor must so indicate.
ü If an advertisement identifies a candidate the sponsor is opposing, the sponsor must also disclose in the advertisement the name of the candidate who is intended to benefit from the advertisement. This requirement only applies if the sponsor of the advertisement coordinated or consulted with the candidate who is intended to benefit.
ü If an advertisement is jointly sponsored, the disclosure statement must name all the sponsors.
ü In a print media advertisement, the height of all disclosure statements must constitute at least 5% of the height of the printed space on the advertisement, provided that the type shall be at least 12 points in size. [Note to reader: The font of this text is 12 points in size.] Print advertisements appearing in the newspaper satisfy this requirement if the disclosure is 28-point type. If the advertisement has more than one page, fold, or face, the statement is not required to appear on each, but must appear on one of them.
ü In a television ad the visual disclosure legend must constitute 4% vertical picture height in size.
ü In a radio advertisement the disclosure statement shall last at least two seconds.
ü Misrepresentation of sponsorship or authorization is a Class 1 misdemeanor.