A report of any contribution of $1000 or more shall be filed with the Board within 5 business days after receipt, except that the report shall be filed within 2 business days after receipt if (i) the contribution is received 30 or fewer days before the date of an election and (ii) the political committee supports or opposes a candidate or public question on the ballot at that election or makes expenditures in excess of $500 on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate, candidates, a public question, or public questions on the ballot at that election. Such report includes the name, address, date and amount of the contribution.

Any organization with which a political committee has significant financial ties and which is presumed to be represented in its interests by the political committee.

Includes all things, services, or goods, regardless of whether they may be valued in monetary terms according to ascertainable market value.

An item of property, other than cash or services, of whatever kind, tangible or intangible, which has either a fair market or salvage value in excess of $150. When a political committee files a final report, it must dispose of any remaining committee assets by either donating or selling them.

Upon termination of the filing status of a political committee, any asset still in its possession must be disposed of either by sale or by donation. Disposition of all assets shall be shown on the final D-2 report filed by a political committee. The Asset Schedule shall show a description of the asset, the date it was acquired, whether it was donated or sold, its value if sold, and the name and address of the entity which took possession of the asset.

A political 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 after making the independent expenditure. The report shall include name and address of person to whom an expenditure in excess of $150 was made; the amount, date and purpose of the independent expenditure; a statement as to whether the expenditure was in support of or opposition to a candidate; the name of the candidate; the office sought; and a certification that the expenditure was not made in coordination with any candidate or any authorized committee or agent of such committee.

The State Board of Elections shall not certify the name of any person who has not paid a civil penalty imposed against his or her political committee under Article 9 to appear upon any ballot for any office in any election if the penalty is unpaid by the date required for certification. The election authority shall not place upon the ballot the name of any candidate appearing on this list for any office in any election while the penalty is unpaid, unless the candidate has requested a hearing and the Board has not disposed of the matter by the date of certification.

The candidate or political committee deemed to have received the benefit from an expenditure. An expenditure made by a political committee on its own behalf shall list the expending committee as the beneficiary on the Schedule B form. An expenditure made to support another political committee or candidate shall be reported by listing that political committee or candidate as beneficiary.

The candidate or political committee deemed to have received the benefit from an expenditure. An expenditure made by a political committee on its own behalf shall list the expending committee as the beneficiary on the Schedule B form. An expenditure made to support another political committee or candidate shall be reported by listing that political committee or candidate as beneficiary.

The State Board of Elections.

A person who collects or accepts contributions from at least 5 persons in the aggregate of $3,000 or more outside of the presence of a candidate or not in connection with a fundraising event sanctioned or coordinated by the political committee during a reporting period. Does not include a person who is an officer of the committee, a compensated employee, a person authorized by an officer or the candidate of a committee to accept contributions on behalf of the committee, or an entity used for processing financial transactions by credit card or other means.

Any person who seeks nomination for election, election to, or retention in public office, or any person who seeks election as ward or township committeeman in counties of 3,000,000 or more population (Cook County), whether or not such person is elected.

The candidate himself or herself or any natural person, trust, partnership, corporation, or other organization or group of persons designated by the candidate that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $3,000 on behalf of the candidate.

A voluntary statement made and filed prior to an election, vowing that the person making the statement will subscribe to the basic principles of decency, honesty, and fair play outlined in the Fair Campaign Practices Act, and conduct a campaign which will encourage healthy competition and open discussion of issues and candidates’ qualifications and discourage practices that cloud issues or unfairly attack opponents. State candidates and state political committees will file this statement with the State Board of Elections. Local candidates and local political committees will file this statement with the county clerk.

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Any gift, subscription, donation, dues, loans, advance, deposit of money, anything of value, purchase of fund-raising tickets, or transfer of funds knowingly received to support or oppose a candidate or proposition.

Any candidate, individual, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or any other organization or group of persons from which any cash, loan, or goods or services is received to support or oppose a candidate or proposition.

Anyone, other than the committee chairman and treasurer, such as an accountant or an accounting firm, which has access to committee books and accounts.

The form, also known as the Statement of Organization, which is to be filed by the candidate or treasurer of a political committee within 10 business days (2 business days if the filing threshold is reached during the period within 30 days prior to an election) after it reaches the filing threshold. The D-1 form provides basic committee information such as name, address, and officers of the committee; candidates or propositions supported or opposed by the committee; committee type and purpose; and financial institutions used by the committee.

The form to be completed ONLY by legislative caucus committees formed by 10 or more members of the same caucus of the House or 5 or more members of the same caucus of the Senate. It should not be completed by a legislative caucus committee established by the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or the Minority Leader of the House.

The form used by a political committee to file a quarterly report, a final report, or an amendment of either of these reports. The D-2 form reports summary totals of the political committee. Prior to 2011, the D-2 form was also used to file a semi-annual report, statement of nonparticipation and a pre-election report.

The date on which a political committee’s filing obligations begin. A political committee must begin filing disclosure reports when it either receives or expends in excess of $3000 within any twelve month period on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate or proposition. The date upon which a committee exceeds this threshold is its Date of Creation, which is reported on the D-1 Statement of Organization.

A contribution is deemed received on the date (i) a monetary contribution was deposited in a bank, financial institution, or other repository of funds for the committee, (ii) the date a committee receives notice a monetary contribution was deposited by an entity used to process financial transactions by credit card or other entity used for processing a monetary contribution that was deposited in a bank, financial institution, or other repository of funds for the committee, or (iii) for inkind contributions, possession of which is not actually obtained by the recipient committee, the public official, candidate, or political committee receives the notification of contribution of goods or services. If no notification has been received, the inkind contribution is deemed received on the date the candidate, chairman or treasurer of the recipient committee, or the public official, obtains knowledge of the inkind contribution. A contribution of goods actually received by the committee is deemed to be made on the date the goods are transferred to the possession of the recipient. A contribution of services is deemed to be made on the date the services are actually performed.

Any outstanding loan or any other obligation of the political committee. A debt shall be reported on each semi-annual report until it has been repaid. A political committee may file a final report with outstanding debts. If after filing a final report, funds become available for partial or complete repayment of the debt, the political committee shall report the source and disposition of such funds.

For a political party committee, a political action committee, and a ballot initiative committee, the election cycle is one calendar year. The election cycle for a candidate political committee is based upon the office sought be the candidate.

Any broadcast, cable, satellite or internet communication, that refers to a clearly identified candidate, or candidates, who will appear on the ballot, a clearly identified political party, or question of public policy that will appear on the ballot for nomination for election, election, or retention, and is made within (i) 60 days before a general election or consolidated election or (ii) 30 days before a primary election that is targeted to the relevant electorate and is susceptible to no reasonable interpretation other than as an appeal to vote for or against a clearly identified candidate for nomination for election, election, or retention, a political party, or a question of public policy.

Electronic filing of campaign disclosure reports became mandatory for the semi-annual report to be filed beginning July 1, 1999, by any political committee which had at any time during that reporting period a balance or $25,000, receipts or loans of $25,000, or expenditures of $25,000. Beginning July 1, 2003, electronic filing became mandatory for any political committee crossing a $10,000 threshold. Any political committee which does not meet the threshold figure may nonetheless file electronically on a voluntary basis.

Any person guaranteeing in writing repayment of a loan to the political committee. Shall be reported by name, address, date, amount endorsed, as well as occupation and employer if amount endorsed exceeds $500.

Any payment, distribution, purchase, loan, advance, deposit, gift of money or anything of value, or any transfer of funds between political committees, made to support or oppose a candidate or proposition. The definition also includes an electioneering communication.

A federal political committee which also qualifies as a political committee in the State of Illinois is not required to file Illinois or federal reporting forms with the Board if it indicates that it is using the federal filing option. In order for a federal political committee to take advantage of this option, it must file a D-1 Statement of Organization with the State Board of Elections. On the D-1 form, the political committee shall state in Part 6 its intention to file pursuant to section 100.60 of the campaign financing regulations. Federal campaign disclosure filings are not included in the Illinois State Board of Elections data base.

The date on which a disclosure report must be physically at the filing location. A paper report must be received at the filing location by 5:00 p.m. on the last day to file. An electronically filed report is timely if received by 11:59:59 p.m. Faxed quarterly and final reports are not accepted. (The Schedule A-1 form and the D-1 Statement of Organization may be faxed. The D-1 may also be scanned and attached to an e-mail and sent to [email protected].)

All political committees shall file all disclosure statements and reports with the State Board of Elections. Committees are no longer required to file disclosure documents with the county clerk.

The period of time designated for the filing of a particular report. The filing period for a quarterly report extends from the end of the reporting period through the 15th day of the following month.

The figure at which a political committee must file disclosure documents. When more than $3000 is either received or expended in support of or opposition to a candidate or proposition within any 12 month period, the political committee is required to file as a political committee and must continue filing disclosure documents until such time as all funds are expended and all financial political activity shall cease.

The last report to be filed by a political committee. The D-2 form shall be used to file a final report and shall include all receipts and expenditures from the closing date of the previous quarterly report (or the committee’s date of creation) through its last expenditure. It shall report a closing balance of $0, the disposition of all assets and residual funds, the liquidation of all investments, and any outstanding debts. All disclosure filing obligations shall cease with the filing of this report unless or until the political committee again engages in activity which meets the definition of a political committee.

Any repository of committee funds. Funds of a political committee may not be commingled with personal funds of any candidate or officer of the committee. When listing financial institutions on the D-1 Statement of Organization, all repositories of committee funds as well as any firms from which investments have been purchased must be included.

The itemization of any contribution exceeding $500 during a reporting period must include the employer and occupation of the contributor, if that contributor is a natural person. If the political committee receiving the contribution is unable to provide this information, it may report on the Schedule A that it has made a good faith effort. A good faith effort is deemed to have been made if the political committee included a request for this information in its solicitation, made a written or oral request for this information if it did not receive this information with the contribution, and provided whatever information was available to it from its own records and previous reports. This information is also required of endorsers of loans.

Any payment, gift, donation, or expenditure of funds (i) by a natural person or political committee for the purpose of making electioneering communications or of expressly advocating for or against the nomination for election, election, retention, or defeat of a clearly identifiable public official or candidate and (ii) that is not made in connection, consultation, or concert with or at the request or suggestion of the public official or candidate, the public official’s or candidate’s designated political committee or campaign, or the agent or agents of the public official, candidate, or political committee or campaign.

A special type of political action committee that is not subject to contribution limits, but is also unable to make coordinated expenditures or direct contributions to candidates or committees. This type of PAC was made possible by a US District Court ruling (Personal PAC v. William M. McGuffage, et al. No. 12-CV-1043.)

A donation of cash by an individual including a friend, a family member, a business, a corporation, a labor union, an association, or any other organization. Money collected from individuals at fund-raising events shall be reported as individual contributions. Individual contributions shall be reported in Part 1 of the D-2 form and shall be itemized on a Schedule A if they exceed $150 during a reporting period.

A contribution of anything of value, other than cash, made directly to a political committee or indirectly on behalf of a political committee. Anything of value includes all things, services, or goods, regardless of whether they may be valued in monetary terms according to ascertainable market value. Inkind contributions shall be reported in Part 5 on the D-2 form. If valued in excess of $150, they shall be reported on a Schedule I by name, address, ascertainable market value, date, description of the inkind, and vendor, if applicable.

The form, available from the State Board of Elections, which the contributor of any inkind donation valued in excess of $50, may complete and provide to the recipient candidate or political committee. The law requires a detailed account of the contribution to be provided to the recipient committee within 5 business days. This form is provided by the Board to provide assistance to the recipient committee.

A political committee is allowed to invest committee funds. Such investments shall be reported as Part 8 expenditures, and any interest earned or amounts liquidated shall be reported as Part 4 receipts. All investments must be liquidated prior to the filing of a final report. A political committee earning income from an investment will incur tax liabilities and will be required to file with the appropriate state and federal agencies. Savings accounts and interest bearing checking accounts shall not be considered investments for reporting purposes under the Illinois Campaign Financing Act. The total value of all investments shall be reported on Line F of the D-2 form for each semi-annual report.

The form to be submitted with a quarterly report if the political committee has invested committee funds. The Investment Schedule shall report the name of the political committee, the reporting period, a description of the investment, number of shares (if applicable), date of purchase, purchase price, value at the end of the reporting period, date and value upon liquidation (if applicable), and total value of investments currently held.

All receipts exceeding $150, including inkind contributions, shall be reported by name, address, date and amount. All receipts from a natural person exceeding $500 shall include the contributor’s occupation and employer. All expenditures exceeding $150 shall be reported by name, address, date, amount, purpose and beneficiary. All debts and obligations exceeding $150 shall be reported on a quarterly or final report by name, address, date debt was incurred, original amount, cumulative payment to date, and outstanding balance at the close of the reporting period. All receipts, expenditures, and debts and obligations of $150 or less shall be totaled and entered on the not itemized lines of the appropriate parts of the D-2 form.

A committee established for the purpose of electing candidates to the General Assembly by the person elected President of the Senate, Minority Leader of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, or a committee established by 10 or more members of the same caucus of the House of Representatives or 5 or more members of the same caucus of the Senate.

A contribution made with expectation of repayment and reported in Part 3 of the D-2 form. When reporting a loan, lenders and endorsers or guarantors of any loan shall be reported by name, address, date, and amount loaned or endorsed. If the loan exceeds $500 from a natural person, the lender shall be identified by occupation and employer. If the endorsed amount exceeds $500, the endorser shall be identified by occupation and employer. The terms of a loan must be set forth by written agreement.

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The informational sheet provided to each candidate when petitions are filed. If petitions are filed in person, the Notice of Obligation may be given to the candidate in person. If petitions are filed by mail, the Notice of Obligation shall be mailed to the candidate within two days. The Notice of Obligation explains the candidate’s obligations under the Campaign Financing Act.

Each political committee must have both a chairman and a treasurer. One person may hold both positions. A candidate may serve as his own chairman and treasurer. No financial transactions may take place while there is a vacancy in either office.

A Part 4 receipt, a catch all category for such receipts as refunds, interest, rebates, deposit returns, sale of assets, liquidation of investments, stock dividends, returned checks, and dividends.

A natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or any other organization or group of persons.

Includes a candidate political committee, a political party committee, a political action committee, an independent-expenditure-only PAC, and a ballot initiative committee.

Any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons, other than a candidate, political party, candidate political committee, or political party committee, that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $3,000 on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate or candidates for public office. Also includes any of these entities or groups that make electioneering communications exceeding $3,000.

The state central committee of a political party, a county central committee of a political party, a legislative caucus committee, a committee formed by a ward or township committeeman of a political party, or a new political party.

The report of campaign contributions to be filed on a D-2 form no later than 15 days prior to an election, reporting all receipts, transfers out, and loans made from the close of the last reporting period through 30 days prior to an election. Only parts 1 through 7 of the D-2 form shall be completed for the pre-election report. Beginning January 1, 2011, political committees will no longer file pre-election reports.

A former chairman or treasurer of a political committee.

A question of public policy appearing on the ballot. A political committee supporting or opposing a question of public policy on the ballot has the same filing requirements as a political committee supporting or opposing a candidate.

Any funds appropriated by the Illinois General Assembly or by a political subdivision of the State of Illinois. No public funds shall be used to urge any elector to vote for or against any candidate or proposition, or be appropriated for political or campaign purposes to any candidate or political organization. Nothing in the Campaign Financing Act shall prohibit the use of public funds for the dissemination of factual information relative to any proposition appearing on an election ballot, or for dissemination of information and arguments published and distributed under law in connection with a proposition to amend the Constitution of the State of Illinois.

Any elective office or judicial office subject to retention.

Any person who is elected or appointed to public office.

Beginning January 1, 2011, political committees must file quarterly reports in lieu of semi-annual reports and pre-election reports. Reporting periods for the four quarterly reports will be from January 1 through March 31, April 1 through June 30, July 1 through September 30, and October 1 through December 31. Reports must be filed by the 15th of the following month.

A license to conduct a raffle to raise funds may be granted to a political committee by the State Board of Elections if the political committee owes no civil penalties to the Board. Application for the license to conduct a raffle or other game of chance shall be made to the State Board of Elections.

Any funds or gifts of goods or services (inkind) received by a political committee or incurred by another person or organization on behalf of the political committee. All receipts during a reporting period shall be reported on the quarterly report for that reporting period.

The period of time covered by a particular report. The reporting period for a quarterly report is from January 1 through March 31, April 1 through June 30, July 1 through September 30, and October 1 through December 31. The reporting period for a final report is from the closing date of the last quarterly report filed through the date of the last expenditure made by the political committee.

Any committee funds remaining when a political committee filing a final report has paid all outstanding liabilities, including staff salaries. Residual funds may be refunded to the contributors in amounts not exceeding their individual contributions, or transferred to other political or charitable organizations consistent with the positions of the committee or the candidates it represented. In no case shall these funds be used for the personal aggrandizement of any committee member or campaign worker.

The form used to itemize all cash receipts of the political committee; Part 1 individual contributions, Part 2 transfers in, Part 3 loans received, and Part 4 other receipts. The form shall include the name of the political committee, the reporting period, the type of receipt, the name and address of the contributor, the date and amount of each contribution, the aggregate amount from each contributor, the employer and occupation if the amount from a natural person exceeds $500, and the total for the part being itemized. A separate form should be used to itemize each part.

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The form used to itemize all expenditures of the political committee; Part 6 transfers out, Part 7 loans made, and Part 8 general expenditures. The form shall include the name of the political committee, the reporting period, the type of expenditure, the name and address of each recipient of an expenditure, the date, amount, purpose, and beneficiary of each expenditure, the aggregate amount paid to each recipient, and the total for the part being itemized. A separate form should be used to itemize each part.

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The form used to itemize Part 9 independent expenditures made by the political committee. It is part of the quarterly report and shall be filed with the quarterly report. The form includes the name of the political committee, the reporting period, the name and address of each person to whom an independent expenditure in excess of $150 has been made; the amount, date, and purpose of such expenditure; a statement whether the independent expenditure was made in support of or opposition to a candidate; the name of the candidate; the office and district, if applicable; and a certification that the expenditure was made without any coordination with any candidate or any authorized committee or agent of such committee.

The form used to itemize all outstanding debts and obligations of the political committee; including all outstanding loans, debts, and liabilities. The form shall include the name of the political committee, the reporting period, the name and address of each entity owed, the original amount of the debt, the date on which the debt was incurred, the cumulative payment to date on the debt, the outstanding balance at the close of the reporting period, and the total amount owed by the political committee. This form shall be used only for quarterly reports and final reports. Previously reported debts and obligations which remain unpaid shall be reported until the total debt is either repaid or forgiven. A political committee may file a final report with outstanding debts and obligations.

The form used to itemize inkind contributions. The form shall include the name of the political committee, the reporting period, the name and address of the contributor, the date received, the ascertainable market value of the inkind contribution, the employer and occupation of the contributor if the contributor is a natural person and the value of the inkind contribution exceeds $500, the aggregate amount from each contributor, a description of the inkind contribution, the name and address of the vendor (if applicable), the total amount of inkind contributions received during the reporting period.

If a candidate, public official, or their immediate families (spouse, parent, child) contributes, loans, or makes independent expenditures of more than $250,000 for a statewide office, or $100,000 for any other office during the 12-months prior to an election, the candidate or public official is considered to be self-funding and must file a notification with the Board within one day. The Board shall post this notice within 2 days and notify all candidates, including the self-funding candidate, that they may accept contributions in excess of the contribution limits.

The report of all receipts and expenditures for a six month period. The reporting periods for the semi-annual report are from January 1 through June 30 and from July 1 through December 31. The report must be filed by July 31 and by January 31, respectively. A semi-annual report must be filed by all political committees regardless of whether they have been actively supporting or opposing candidates or propositions during the six month period. A semi-annual report must include any information previously reported on any pre-election report filed within the six month period as well as all additional financial transactions. The semi-annual report for the period ending December 31, 2010, will be the last semi-annual report filed by any political committee. Beginning January 1, 2011, political committees will be filing quarterly reports in lieu of semi-annual and pre-election reports.

A sponsoring entity is any person, organization, corporation, or association that contributes at least 33% of the total funding of the political committee or any person or other entity that is registered or is required to register under the Lobbyist Registration Act and contributes at least 33% of the total funding of the political committee during a quarterly reporting period. The name and address of any sponsoring entity shall be listed on a D-1 Statement of Organization.

Any building or portion thereof owned or exclusively leased by the State or any State agency at the time the contribution is solicited, offered, accepted, or made. Fund-raising is banned on state property unless it is being leased or rented for the purpose of conducting a fund-raising event.

Shall ONLY be filed by 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.

Any exchange of money between two political committees, other than loans or inkind contributions. This includes donations or fund-raising tickets. Transfers in are reported in Part 2 receipts on the D-2 Form, and transfers out are reported in Part 6 expenditures on the D-2 Form. Transfers in will be itemized on a Schedule A and transfers out will be itemized on a Schedule B if they exceed $150.

A recipient of funds which provides goods or a service for a fee on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate or proposition. A vendor is the recipient of funds reported on a Schedule B for Part 8 general expenditures. A vendor shall also be reported by name and address on a Schedule I when an expenditure has been made by someone else for the benefit of the reporting committee.