2010 SUPPLEMENTAL FILING INFORMATION
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES
PLEASE NOTE: The Commission provides reminders of upcoming filing dates as a courtesy to help committees comply with the filing deadlines set forth in the Act and Commission regulations. Committee treasurers must comply with all applicable filing deadlines established by law, and the lack of prior notice does not constitute an excuse for failing to comply with any filing deadline.
WHO MUST FILE
Principal campaign committees of congressional candidates 1 (including unopposed candidates and candidates whose names do not appear on the ballot) must file Quarterly Reports in 2010. 2
Campaigns that raise or spend more than $5,000 for the 2010 election cycle (and thus trigger registration and reporting requirements) must file quarterly reports throughout 2010, even if the candidate plans to retire, withdraws from the race prior to the primary election, loses the primary or drops out of the race prior to the general election.
See 11 CFR 104.5(a)(2).
Before a committee can stop filing with the FEC, it must file a termination report with the Commission. See 11 CFR 102.3. Committees must continue to file reports until the Commission notifies them in writing that their termination report has been accepted.
METHODS OF FILING REPORTS
Electronic Filing
Reports filed electronically must be received and validated by the Commission by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the filing deadline.
See 11 CFR 104.5(e).
Paper Filing - Meeting the Filing Deadline
Paper Report filing options -- Registered, Certified or Overnight or First Class Mail. See 11 CFR 104.5(e).
48 HOUR NOTICES ON CONTRIBUTIONS
Notices are required if the committee receives any contribution (including in-kind gifts or advances of goods or services; Loans from the candidate or other non-bank sources; and guarantees or endorsements of bank loans to the candidate or committee) of $1,000 or more per source, during the period less than 20 days but more than 48 hours before any election in which the candidate is running.
The notices, which may be filed using Form 6, must reach the appropriate federal and/or state filing office(s) within 48 hours of the committee’s receipt of the contribution(s).
See 11 CFR 104.5(f).
PRE- AND POST-ELECTION REPORTS
A committee whose candidate participates in a 2010 state primary, nominating convention or runoff election -- even if unopposed -- must also file a pre-election report 12 days prior to the primary, nominating convention or runoff. The campaign committee of a candidate who participates in the general election must file pre- and post-general election reports.
See 11 CFR 104.5(a)(2).
COMPLIANCE Treasurer Responsibility
Committee Treasurers are responsible for both the timeliness and the accuracy of all reports. They may be subject to monetary penalties if reports are inaccurate or are not filed on time. See 11 CFR 104.14(d).
Administrative Fine Program
Political committees and their treasurers who fail to file their reports on time may be subject to civil money penalties up to $17,600 (or more for repeat late- and non-filers). 3 See 11 CFR 111.30.
DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYIST BUNDLING ACTIVITY
Campaign committees must file FEC Form 3L [PDF] if they receive two or more bundled contributions from lobbyists/registrants or lobbyist/registrant PACs that aggregate in excess of $16,000 during the applicable reporting period. See 11 CFR 104.22 and 110.17(e).
2010 REPORTING SCHEDULE
IMPORTANT FILING INFORMATION - PAPER FILERS
In response to the anthrax threat, the U.S. Postal Service is irradiating mail directed to many federal agencies, including the FEC and the Secretary of the Senate. 4 This process has not only delayed mail delivery, it has also damaged and in some cases destroyed pieces of mail. As a result, committees that file reports with the FEC may want to consider submitting their reports by some means other than U.S. mail. Alternative methods include electronic filing, overnight mail or delivery service, and hand delivery.
FOOTNOTES:
1 Generally, an individual becomes a candidate for federal office (and thus triggers registration and reporting obligations) when his or her campaign exceeds $5,000 in either contributions or expenditures. If the campaign has not crossed the $5,000 threshold, it is not required to file reports. See 11 CFR 100.3(a).
2 If a candidate has more than one authorized committee, the principal campaign committee must also file a consolidated report on Form 3Z [PDF].
3 Penalties for late- and non-filing of 48-hour notices are based on the amount of contributions not timely disclosed. As a result, these penalties may exceed $17,600, even for first-time violations.
4 Senate committees should contact the Secretary of the Senate at (202) 224-0322 for more information on filing reports via US mail.
FOR INFORMATION, CALL: (800) 424-9530 or (202) 694-1100 |
