October Filings Due for PAC’s, Candidate & Ballot Committees!
Lisa Farnum, MPP is President of L Farnum, Inc., a firm that specializes in PAC compliance, research and project management. Lisa has been helping clients resolve campaign finance issues and maintain compliance for more than 23 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Northwood University and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan, Dearborn. Ms. Farnum has over 25 years of experience working with corporations and non-profits.
Compliance filings can be tricky and challenging. I appreciate Dome Guide’s commitment to providing Legislators and their staff with the information they need. I've been advising clients with filings for 23 years and my goal is to provide you with the rationale, tips and risks to avoid when filing. Please check here when you have questions or just need to know where to look to get answers. We will update the calendar and requirements as report dates are approaching.
Summary:
· October Due Dates for PAC’s & Ballot Committees & Candidate Committees
· Election Cycles
· New contribution limits effective January 2023
Candidate Committees
Report close date for Candidate Committees if the candidate is not seeking election in 2023 and does not have a waiver; close of books is October 20, 2023 and due on October 25th. Report coverage dates can vary depending on the committee’s last filing.
You can find the schedules here
TIP: Remember this when determining dates for your report:
Use the day following your “close date” as your opening date for the next report (e.g.: A close of books date of July 21st, 2023 means the open date for your October report would be July 21st, 2023). Remember the length of your committee’s election cycle (e.g. when it begins and ends), so that you can accurately track contribution limits (Senate is four years, House is two years). Note: Election cycle dates are entered in the MERTS file for your committee.
Common filing dates
Political Action Committees, Independent Political Committees and Independent Expenditure Committees
(Note: Leadership committees are technically a type of PAC)
In 2023 reports are due January 31st, April 25th, July 25th & October 25th
TIP: Leadership committees are technically a type of PAC
The October report date range for PAC’s is July 21st, 2023 – October 20, 2023, with a filing deadline of October 25, 2023 (unless your committee has/still qualifies for a waiver).
Ballot Question Committees (BQC’s)
The report close date for Ballot Committees if the committee does not have a waiver: Close of books is October 20th, 2023 and due on October 25th , 2023.
To see BQC off & even year report dates, see schedule here
TIP: Filing dates for elections where BQC’s support or oppose a specific ballot proposal vary
Will the committee support or oppose a ballot proposal appearing on a ballot during the calendar year?
If YES, the committee will support or oppose a ballot proposal appearing on a ballot in 2023; See 2023 Schedule A (If your Ballot Committee is participating in the November election, see schedule link below-filing dates will be pre/post election).
If NO, See 2023 Schedule B
You can find the schedules here.
New Contribution Limits
Contribution limits are primarily based upon election cycles and the office the candidate is seeking (re: Size of the population the office covers). Contribution limits and election cycles are directly related: The longer a committee’s election cycle, the larger the committee’s contribution limit. For example, a Senate committee has a four-year campaign cycle and a $2,450 individual contribution limit, while a House committee has a two-year campaign cycle and a $1,225 individual contribution limit. Independent PAC contribution limits are 10 times the individual limit: $24,500 & $12,250 respectively.
TIP: Contribution limits are adjusted every 4 years.
TIP: Political Committees, Independent Committees, Independent Expenditure Committees, Political Party Committees and Ballot Question Committees may receive unlimited contribution amounts from a legal source.
Your committee’s campaign contribution limits can be found here
The content above is meant to serve only as a guide. Every filing situation is different and you should always call me at (517) 482-5311, email your questions to Lfarnum@farnuminc.com, visit the Bureau of Elections for more information (https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/disclosure/cfr), and/or consult with your attorney. 