The first form filed by a political committee after it reaches the $5,000 filing threshold is the D-1 Statement of Organization. This form includes basic committee information such as the name and address of the committee, the Date of Creation, the amount of funds available as of the Date of Creation, the type of political committee, the purpose, the sponsoring entity, if any, the officers, the bank, and the designation of the disposition of residual funds in the event of dissolution of the committee.

After a political committee files its D-1 Statement of Organization, and, if applicable, its D-1-A Supplement , it is obligated to report all financial activity. The D-2 Report of Campaign Contributions and Expenditures form (revised January 1, 2011) is the summary page used to file a Quarterly Report or a Final Report, and an amendment of either of these filings. If a Quarterly or Final Report is being amended, a political committee must provide a description of amended information on the Description of Amended Information form. If you are filing an amendment to a Semi-Annual Report, use the D-2 Report of Campaign Contributions and Expenditures form which lists Semi-Annual Report as one of the options at the top.

The D-2 is the Summary Page reporting summary totals of receipts and expenditures during a reporting period. All receipts exceeding $150 in aggregate from one source during a reporting period are itemized on a Schedule A. A separate Schedule A should be used for each type of receipt; individual contributions, transfers in, loans received, and other receipts. An in-kind contribution which exceeds $150 in aggregate from one source is itemized on a Schedule I. A Schedule B is used to itemize expenditures exceeding $150 to a single vendor during a reporting period, including transfers out, loans made, and general expenditures. An independent expenditure which exceeds $150 in aggregate to a single vendor shall be itemized on a Schedule B-9. Any debt or obligation outstanding as of March 31st, June 30th, September 30th, or December 31st shall be itemized on a Schedule C on a Quarterly Report if it exceeds the $150 threshold. In addition, if a committee has any investments, these shall be itemized using an Investment Schedule filed with a Quarterly Report, reporting their value as of March 31st, June 30th, September 30th, and December 31st, and if disposed of during the prior three-month period, their disposition. A Schedule E is used to report any individual who collects at least $3000 from at least 5 contributors and meets certain other criteria. (See form instructions to determine whether or not this schedule must be completed.) An Asset Schedule is used only when filing a Final Report and only if the committee has assets remaining at the time of its dissolution. Since a committee has to dispose of all assets prior to closing out the committee, the Asset Schedule is used to report their disposition.

A political committee that receives a contribution of $1,000 or more starting January 1, 2011, will need to file a Schedule A-1 within 5 business days of receipt of the contribution. If the committee is participating* in the election and the contribution is received within the 30 day period proceeding an election a Schedule A-1 must be filed within 2 business days.

*A committee is considered to be ‘participating’ in an election if it has a candidate or proposition on the ballot, if it spends a total of more than $500 in support of or in opposition to any candidate(s) or issue(s) on the ballot, or if it spends a total of more than $500 for any form of communication that makes a clear appeal to vote for or against a candidate, party or question of public policy that will appear on the ballot. A committee formed to support or oppose a candidate or question of public policy on the next election ballot is always considered to be participating in that election. If you are not sure if your committee meets the definition of ‘participation’, contact the Board.

A committee that makes independent expenditures of $1,000 or more during the period 30 days or fewer before an election shall electronically file a report with the Board within 5 business days. This filing, called a B-1, can be done ONLY electronically.

A political party committee that does not intend to make contributions to candidates to be nominated at a general primary election or consolidated primary election may file a Statement of Nonparticipation in a Primary Election with the Board. The Statement of Nonparticipation is to be used by a political party committee only; no other type of political committee shall file it.

A candidate or public official is considered to be ‘self-funding’ if, during the 12-months prior to an election, they or their immediate families contribute, or make independent expenditures for their benefit totaling more than $250,000 for statewide constitutional officers or $100,000 for all other elective offices. A self-funding candidate must file a Notification of Self-funding with the Board within one day of crossing this threshold.

If an independent expenditure committee makes independent expenditures in support of or in opposition to a candidate or public official that total more than $250,000 for a statewide office or $100,000 for all other elective offices; in one election cycle, then that committee must file an Independent Expenditure Committee Disclosure with the Board within 2 business days of crossing the threshold. If a natural person exceeds the independent expenditure threshold, that person must file a Natural Person Independent Expenditure Disclosure with the Board within 2 business days of crossing the threshold. Any candidate or political committee may file a Code of Fair Campaign Practices. It is a voluntary statement made and filed prior to an election, vowing that the person making the statement will conduct a positive rather than a negative campaign. State candidates and state political committees will file this statement with the State Board of Elections, and local candidates and local political committees will file this statement with the local county clerk’s office.