Political money collection

Political money collection refers to money collection campaigns run to support candidates standing for public elections. Political money collection campaigns can be run without a money collection permit or a small-scale money collection notice, subject to the following conditions:

• The campaign is run to support a candidate standing for a public election.
• The funds raised are used to cover the costs of the candidate’s election campaign.
• The organiser is either a political party or an association established specifically to support the candidate in question.
• The funds are raised during the official campaigning period.

In practice, political money collection campaigns can be run for the benefit of candidates in general elections, local elections, presidential elections and elections to the European Parliament. Political money collection is designed to provide a way to cover the costs of election campaigns.

The organiser must be either a political party or an association established specifically to support the candidate in question. Unregistered support groups and electoral alliances can also run small-scale money collections to raise money to support their candidates.

Candidates cannot, under any circumstances, raise funds for themselves.

No permit or small-scale money collection notice is required for political money collection during an official campaigning period. The official campaigning period begins six months before the date of the election and ends two weeks after the election day. A money collection permit or a small-scale money collection notice is required for money collections that are due to begin before the start of the official campaigning period or to continue after the end of the official campaigning period.

A money collection permit or a small-scale money collection notice is also required for collecting donations for purposes other than to cover the costs of the election campaign.

Accounting for political money collection campaigns

Accounts of political money collection campaigns are submitted to the National Police Board. Accounts must be submitted of all political money collection campaigns where the public has been asked for monetary donations. Whether or not the candidate is ultimately elected is irrelevant. Accounts must also be submitted of campaigns that generated little or no proceeds.

The deadline for submitting accounts is 2 months after the end of the money collection campaign. However, accounts can also be submitted as soon as the campaign ends, when the details are still fresh in the organiser’s memory. The account must be made in Finnish or Swedish. 

Send your account and the attachments by email to arpajaishallinto@poliisi.fi or by mail to:

National Police Board
Gambling Administration
PO Box 50
FI-11101 RIIHIMÄKI.