TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION

ETHICS ADVISORY OPINION NO. 422

November 12, 1999

Whether a candidate may appoint his daughter as his campaign treasurer. (AOR-465)

A candidate has asked whether he may appoint his seventeen-year-old daughter as his campaign treasurer.

Every candidate must appoint a campaign treasurer. Elec. Code § 252.001. The legal significance of a candidate’s filing of a campaign treasurer appointment is that the filing authorizes the candidate to accept campaign contributions and make campaign expenditures. Id. § 253.031(a). The fact that a candidate names an individual as a campaign treasurer confers no authority or responsibility on that individual under Title 15 of the Election Code. A candidate, not the candidate’s campaign treasurer, is responsible for filing reports of contributions and expenditures. Elec. Code ch. 254, subch. C. We conclude, therefore, that a candidate may appoint any individual as his or her campaign treasurer, including a minor.¹

SUMMARY

A candidate may appoint any individual as his or her campaign treasurer, including a minor. This rule does not apply to the campaign treasurer of a political committee.

¹ Our conclusion does not apply to the campaign treasurer of a political committee.  The Election Code does impose various duties on the campaign treasurer of a political committee, and the campaign treasurer of a political committee may be held criminally or civilly liable for failure to comply with those duties.