Campaign Disclosure Requirements
The Political Reform Act of 1974 requires all candidates for state and local elective office, all state and local elected officeholders, proponents of state and local ballot measures who control a ballot measure committee, and committees supporting or opposing state and local candidates, and all measure committees, to file campaign disclosure statements disclosing contributions received and expenditures made.
It is the responsibility of the candidate and or committee to be aware of and to file the required campaign disclosure statements in a correct and timely manner. Government Code §91013 provides for a late filing fine of $10 per day for the late filing of any campaign disclosure statements after the deadline until the statement or report is filed.
Campaign Filing Obligations
Except as noted below, an individual who intends to be a candidate for an elective office must file Form 501. Please see instructions on the Form 501 for the filing requirements. For State Candidates, Form 501 is filed with the Secretary of State. Local Candidates file with the appropriate local filing officer for their jurisdiction.
Government Code §§85200, 85201
Form 501–Candidate Intention Statement: This statement must be filed before a candidate solicits or receives any contributions (including loans) from others or before any expenditures are made from personal funds on behalf of his/her candidacy, excluding personal funds used to pay filing fees and/or fees for Statements of Qualifications. Exception: Candidates for county central committee offices that do not raise or spend $2,000 or more in a calendar year.
Government Code §§85200, 85201
Exception: Form 501 is not required to be filed by candidates who do not intend to receive any contributions or loans, and the only expenditures from personal funds would be for payment of the filing fee and Statement of Qualifications. Form 501 is not used to obtain a Committee Identification Number.
Form 410–Statement of Organization: In addition to the above mentioned form, a Form 410 must be filed with the Secretary of State's Office to obtain a Committee Identification Number. Form 410 must be filed if a candidate or committee receives contributions (including loans) totaling $2,000 or more in a calendar year. This statement must be filed within 10 days of raising or spending $2,000 in contributions. Include a $50 payment made payable to the Secretary of State. Thereafter, the $50 fee is due annually no later than January 15. In addition to the $50 fee, a penalty of $150 may be assessed if payment is late. All personal funds and/or contributions or loans made to the candidate, to a person on behalf of the candidate, or to the candidate's controlled committee shall be deposited in a campaign bank account prior to expenditure. All campaign expenditures shall be made from the account. Exception: A bank account is not required if a candidate will not receive contributions or make personal expenditures of more than $2,000. The filing and statement of qualification fees are not included in calculating the $2,000. For more details, refer to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC)'s Campaign Disclosure Manual 2 (Local Candidates, Superior Court Judges, Their Controlled Committees, and Primarily Formed Committees for Local Candidates).
Government Code §§84101, 84101.5, 85201
Form 470–Officeholder/Candidate Campaign Statement–Short Form: Candidates for office who expect to receive or spend less than $2,000 during the election and who do not have a controlled committee may file a Form 470 with their Declaration of Candidacy (or no later than the filing deadline for the first pre-election campaign statement). The following individuals seeking or holding office are not required to file campaign disclosure statements (Form 470 or 460): candidates for county central committee offices that do not raise or spend $2,000 or more in a calendar year; officeholders whose salaries are less than $200 per month and judicial candidates who have not made or received contributions or made expenditures during non-election years; and judges who do not receive contributions and who make personal expenditures of less than $1,000 or more in non-election years. State officeholders, state candidates, judges and judicial candidates must file the original and one copy with the Secretary of State Political Reform Division.
Government Code §§84206(a), (b), 84207, 85201
Form 470–Supplement: Any candidate who has filed a Form 470 and who subsequently has $2,000 or more in receipts and/or expenditures prior to his/her election must send a notice to the Secretary of State, the local filing officer, if any, and to all candidates for the same office. This notice must be sent within 48 hours. Detailed information concerning the notice required is included on the Supplemental Form 470.
Government Code §§84206(c), 85201
Form 460–Recipient Committee Campaign Statement: Candidates for office who receive contributions or have expenditures of $2,000 or more must file pre-election and semi-annual campaign statements during the year in which their election is being held. Please refer to the Campaign Filing Schedule in this guide for the actual filing periods covered by each statement.
The first pre-election campaign statement is due no later than September 26, 2019; the second pre-election campaign statement is due no later than October 24, 2019; and the semi-annual campaign statement must be filed no later than January 31, 2020. Please refer to the Campaign Filing Schedule for the actual filing periods covered by each statement.
Government Code §§84200, 85201
Termination: Once contributions and expenditures for a particular office cease, all funds are expended, the ending cash balance is $0.00, and the bank account is closed, an original and one copy of Form 410 must be filed with the Office of the Secretary of State. Additionally, you must file a copy of Form 410 along with an original of the final campaign statement (Form 460) with the appropriate filing officer.
There is no deadline for terminating a committee controlled by a local candidate or officeholder unless the controlling candidate/officeholder becomes a state officeholder (in which case, refer to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC)'s Campaign Disclosure Manual 1 (Information for State Candidates, Their Controlled Committees, and Primarily Formed Committees for State Candidates) for termination requirements). Primarily formed committees also do not have a deadline to terminate. However, the committee, by its nature, may need to change its committee status if it remains open after the election.
Government Code §84214
Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) Regulation §18404
Important Note: Candidates and committees are encouraged to visit the Fair Political Practices Commission website for information on new or revised rules and regulations: www.fppc.ca.gov/