Secretary of State Ken Bennett today warned groups that are spending money to influence the Phoenix mayoral race and the Senate recall election they can’t hide behind a U.S. Supreme Court ruling giving corporations and labor unions the same speech rights as individuals.

That right was granted with conditions, including a requirement that these groups are primarily doing something other than electioneering, Bennett said.

Under the Citizens United ruling, companies and labor groups may spend an unlimited amount from their treasury on elections so long as there’s no coordination with a candidate’s campaign.

Bennett’s concerns have to do with newly formed groups that are expressly advocating for or against candidates this year but are not registered as a regular political action committee.

Regular political action committees face strict reporting requirements, including disclosure of their contributors. Under the law, their contributions to candidates are also capped.

Bennett some entities are fairly new, and his office plans to examine these groups. If his office is unable to determine whether their primary purpose is to spend on candidates, he will ask the Attorney General to investigate them.

Bennett also said his office will randomly audit groups that have registered under Citizens United to ensure they comply with the law.

Voters go to the polls on Nov. 8 to decide Phoenix’s next mayor and whether Mesa’s Senate President Russell Pearce should keep his legislative seat, among other elections.