Campaign Financing - Jamaica
The Representation of the People Act allows for a candidate to spend up to $3 million in promoting his candidature.
See excerpt below.
55 Total amount of expenditure that may be incurred
(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2), no expenditure shall be incurred in relation to the candidature of any person at any election in excess of three million.
1/1989 S. 13.
(2) In determining the total expenditure incurred in relation to the candidature of any person at any election regard shall not be had-
(a) to the deposit required to be made by the candidate under paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section 23; or
(b) to any expenditure incurred before the issue of the writ for the election in respect of services rendered or materials supplied before the issue of such writ.
56 Who may incur election expenditure
(1) No expenditure shall be incurred in respect of the candidature of any person at any election except by the candidate, or his agent, or some person authorized in writing by the agent.
(2) Every person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and, upon summary conviction thereof before a Resident Magistrate, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars or to be imprisoned for any term not exceeding six months.
57 Expenditure that may be incurred by candidate
No payments shall be made by any candidate to any person other than his agent in connection with his candidature at any election except-
(a) expenditure for his personal living expenses during the period of the election to an amount not exceeding ten thousand dollars; and
1/1989 S. 14. (a)
(b) petty expenditure to an amount not exceeding two thousand dollars:
1/1989 S. 14. (b).
Provided that this section shall not apply to any candidate who is his own official agent.
58 Who may incur expenditure
(1) No expenditure shall be incurred in respect of the candidature of any candidate at any election, by any person authorized in writing by the agent of such candidate, in excess of the amount specified in the authorization.
(2) Every person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and, upon summary conviction thereof before a Resident Magistrate, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars or to be imprisoned for any term not exceeding six months.
59 Consequences of unauthorized expenditure
(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2), where any expenditure is incurred in contravention of the provisions of section 55, 56, 57 or 58, the person by whom such expenditure was incurred and the candidate in connection with whose candidature it was incurred shall, in addition to any other penalty to which either of them may be liable, be deemed to be guilty of an illegal practice.
(2) No candidate shall be deemed to be guilty of an illegal practice by reason of any other person having incurred any expenditure in connection with the candidature of the candidate in contravention of any of the provisions of section SS, 56 or 58 if the candidate proves affirmatively that such expenditure was incurred without his knowledge or consent and that he took all reasonable steps to prevent the incurrence of such expenditure.