(a) The commission may commence an investigation, pursuant to section four of this article, on the filing of a complaint duly verified by oath or affirmation, by any person.

(b) The commission may order the executive director to prepare a complaint, upon a majority affirmative vote of its members, if it receives or discovers credible information which, if true, would merit an inquiry into whether a violation of this chapter has occurred.

(c) (1) No complaint may be accepted or initiated by the commission against a public official or public employee during the sixty days before a primary or general election at which the public official or public employees is a candidate for elective office.

(2) If a complaint is pending against a public official or public employee who is also a candidate for public office, then the commission shall stay the processing of the complaint for the sixty-day time period preceding the primary election or general election, or both, unless the candidate waives the stay in writing. If the commission receives a written waiver of the stay at least sixty days prior to the election, and if the Review Board has not yet ruled whether probable cause exists to believe there has been a violation of the Ethics Act, then the Review Board will process the complaint and make a probable cause determination at least thirty days prior to the election: Provided, That, the stay provisions of this subdivision do not apply to complaints which have already been adjudicated by the commission and are pending on appeal.

(3) For purposes of this subsection, any provisions of this chapter setting time periods for initiating a complaint or for performing any other action are considered tolled until after the election at which the public official or public employee candidate stands for elective office.