MARVIN MANDEL, Governor

989

by any committee, or any of its officers or members, or
by any person acting under its authority, or on its
behalf or by [such] THE treasurer or subtreasurer, and
setting forth in such statement and accounts the sum or
valuable thing so received, or disbursed, or promised, as
the case may be, and the date when, the name of the
person and his address from whom received or promised, or
to whom paid or promised, as the case may be, and the
object and purposes for which the sum, or other valuable
thing, was received, or disbursed, or promised, as the
case may be. [Such books] BOOKS and records may be
destroyed or discarded at any time after [one year] TWO
YEARS from the date of filing the final report required
by § 26—11 unless a court of competent jurisdiction
[shall order] ORDERS their retention for a longer period.

2 6-14.

[Every officer or board with whom reports,
statements or accounts are required by any section of
this article to be filed, shall receive, file, and
preserve the reports, statements and accounts in his
office, and shall keep all of the same as part of the
records of his office for at least two years after the
election to which they relate or for at least one year
after the date for the filing of the final report or
statement required by § 26-11 in connection with that
election, whichever is later, or for longer if so ordered
by a court of competent jurisdiction.] EVERY OFFICER OR
BOARD SHALL RECEIVE, FILE AND PRESERVE ALL REPORTS,
STATEMENTS AND ACCOUNTS RELATING TO [[COMPAIGN]] CAMPAIGN
CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES WHICH ARE REQUIRED TO BE
FILED BY THIS ARTICLE. THESE REPORTS, STATEMENTS AND
ACCOUNTS SHALL BE KEPT AS PART OF THE RECORDS OF THE
OFFICER OR BOARD FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED [[SEVEN]]
FIVE YEARS OR FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR BEYOND THE LENGTH OF
THE TERM OF THE PUBLIC OF PARTY OFFICE FOR WHICH EVERY
CANDIDATE TO WHOM THESE REPORTS, STATEMENTS OR ACCOUNTS
APPLY, HAS OFFERED HIMSELF FOR NOMINATION OR ELECTION,
REGARDLESS IF THE CANDIDATE IS SUCCESSFUL, UNSUCCESSFUL,
OR RESIGNS, OR FOR A LONGER PERIOD IF ORDERED BY A COURT
OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION. THESE REPORTS, STATEMENTS AND
ACCOUNTS SHALL BE SUBJECT AND OPEN TO INSPECTION BY ANY
CITIZEN OF THIS STATE DURING THE HOURS IN WHICH THE
OFFICE IN WHICH THE REPORTS, STATEMENTS AND ACCOUNTS ARE
KEPT IS OPEN. Before disposing of any reports,
statements or accounts, the officer or board with whom
they were filed shall make a permanent record of all
election reports required to have been filed by § 26—11
but which have not been filed. The permanent record
shall include the name of the candidate or the committee,
the treasurer, an identification of the missing report,
and, if a final report, a notation of the amount of any
outstanding balance, bills or deficits as shown on the
last report filed. The officer or board shall file a
copy of this permanent record with the State
Administrative Board of Election Laws. [All reports,
statements and accounts shall, during the hours for which