Can I extend promotional period for sweepstakes before it ends?

Sweepstakes rules vary greatly from state to state. Generally, the sweepstakes rules govern the contractual relationship between you and the entree. Changing the rules arbitrarily creates a breach in this contractual relationship and may expose you to claims.

You can't. I'm lawyer and I cannot say what the legal ramifications are if you extend the sweepstakes. However, if you extend the sweepstakes, you incur whatever complications arise. The only way to avoid these complications is to refrain from extending the sweepstakes. If you want some insurance against legal liability, pay for an attorney to give you an opinion letter that there will be no liability. Then, if there is any legal liability, the attorney will be liable to your company. You mentioned "complications' which may involve other matters than legal liability, such as dealing with disgruntled sweepstakes entrants. This is a complication you cannot avoid. You can only deal with it. As far as legal liability, I do not see a significant probability for legal liability. It seems to me that a person would have to prove that he/she would have won had the sweepstakes not been extended. I cannot guarantee this, however.

No, you established a contract between your contestants and yourself, clearly stating the terms. you cannot now change the rules.

Just extend it. Shortening it might cause problems.

If you break the rules you risk being so accused by anyone who plays by the rules. What is wrong with the old Judeo Christian ethic of playing by the rules You have been wtching the present political establishment on TV too much. A rule is a rule is a rule.and rules are made to follow

I think if you change the date, your original materials will be in violation of California Business and Professions Code Section 17539.5 (j), which states, "The official rules for a sweepstakes shall disclose information about the date or dates the final winner or winners will be determined."If you contact me, I may be able to take your company on as a client to work on this.

To answer this question I would need to see your rules and get some more details on the nature of the sweepstakes, what the prizes are and how they are won. I would also want to know how many people have entered, so we could determine if it would be practical to change the rules and notify everyone who entered of the new rules.