SOS - Information About Campaign Statements

Information About Campaign Statements

Campaign Statements Required Of Michigan Campaign Committees

Campaign Statement Coverage Dates

Campaign Statements have specific coverage periods. The first Campaign Statement filed by a committee "opens" on the day the committee formed and extends through the "closing date" of the Statement that is due. Subsequent Campaign Statements "open" on the day after the last day covered by the previous Campaign Statement filed by the committee and extend through the "closing date" of the Statement that is due.

A Campaign Statement consists of a cover sheet, a series of schedules that itemize the committee's receipts, expenditures and debts, a Summary Page and a special purpose schedule that details fund raisers held by the committee. Campaign Statement forms and instructions can be obtained from the Department of State's Bureau of Elections in Lansing, or any county clerk.

A committee that does not expect to receive or spend more than $1,000.00 for any election (Candidate Committees and Ballot Question Committees) or in a calendar year (Political Committees, Independent Committees and Political Party Committees) can obtain a Reporting Waiver by checking item 10 on its Statement of Organization. A committee that maintains a Reporting Waiver is exempt from filing Campaign Statements until the committee exceeds $1,000.00 in receipts, expenditures or debt.

Campaign Statements Required Of Candidate Committees

The Candidate Committee of a candidate whose name appears on a ballot for an election must file a Pre-Election Campaign Statement and a Post-Election Campaign Statement for each election in which the candidate seeks nomination or election. If an individual becomes a candidate after the closing date for the Pre-Election Campaign Statement, only the Post-Election Campaign Statement is required for that election.

An "election" is defined as a primary, general, special or school election held in Michigan or a convention or caucus held by a political party in Michigan to nominate candidates. Additionally, an Annual Campaign Statement must be filed by January 31 each year. Exceptions to the filing requirements are explained below under "The Reporting Waiver" and "Annual Campaign Statement Filing Exemptions."

Candidate Committee Campaign Statement
Closing Dates, Due Dates & Coverage Periods

Pre-Election, Post-Election and Annual Campaign Statements have specific closing date, due dates and coverage periods.

Type of Statement	Closing Date of Statement	Statement Due Date
Pre - Election Campaign Statement	16 days before election	11 days before election
Post - Election Campaign Statement	20 days after election	30 days after election
Annual Campaign Statement	December 31	January 31
Pre-Convention Campaign Statement	16 days before convention	11 days before convention
Post-Convention Campaign Statement	20 days after convention	30 days after convention

Campaign Statements Required Of Independent Committees &

Political Committees Registered On The State Level

Independent and Political Committees registered on the state level that do not maintain a Reporting Waiver are required to file Campaign Statements three times a year according to the schedule detailed below:

Even Year	Odd Year
April Triannual due April 25th	January Triannual due January 31
Close of Books April 20th	Close of Books December 31st
July Triannual due July 25th	July Triannual due July 25th
Close of Books July 20th	Close of Books July 20th
October Triannual due October 25th	October Triannual due October 25th
Close of Books October 20th	Close of Books October 20th

Campaign Statements are required even if the committee does not have any receipts or expenditures to disclose for the period covered by the Statement. For convenience, the Campaign Statements referenced above are commonly called Triannual Campaign Statements.

Caucus Committee Reporting Requirements

Caucus committees are required to file Campaign Statements four times each year as follows:

January 31 closing date December 31
April 25 closing date April 20
July 25 closing date July 20
October 25 closing date October 20

Caucus committees also file Late Contribution Reports, Special Election Independent Expenditure Reports and 24-Hour Reports, when applicable.

Caucus committees are required to file daily reports (24-Hour Report) from the 14th day preceding a primary, general or special election to the day after the primary, general or special election only if the committee receives a contribution or makes an expenditure of more than $1,000.00 per day. The report is similar to a "Late Contribution Report" except that it will include only those receipts or expenditures that exceed $1,000.00.

A 24-Hour Report is due no later than 4:00 p.m. on the first business day following the date the contribution in excess of $1,000.00 is received or the expenditure in excess of $1,000.00 is made. The 24-Hour Report closes on the day the contribution is received or the expenditure is made.

Campaign Statements Required Of Political Party Committees

Political Party Committees that do not maintain a Reporting Waiver are required to file Campaign Statements according to the schedule detailed below:

An Annual Campaign Statement is required each year on January 31 (closes on December 31). The Annual Campaign Statement is required even if the committee does not have any receipts or expenditures to disclose for the period covered by the Statement. The Annual Campaign Statement is waived if the committee files a Post-General Campaign Statement during the preceding month of December.

A Pre-Election Campaign Statement is required 11 days before any "election" in which the committee participates (closes 16 days before the election). A Political Party Committee is not required to file a Pre-Election Campaign Statement if all of the expenditures made by the committee which relate to the election involved have been reported in a previous Campaign Statement (see examples below).

A Post-Election Campaign Statement is required 30 days after any election in which the committee participates (closes 20 days after the election). A Political Party Committee is not required to file a Post-Election Campaign Statement if all the expenditures made by the committee which relate to the election involved have been reported in a previous Campaign Statement

Campaign Statements Required Of Ballot Question Committees

Ballot Question Committees that do not maintain a Reporting Waiver are required to file Campaign Statements according to the schedule detailed below:

An Annual Campaign Statement is required each year on January 31 (closes on December 31). The Annual Campaign Statement is required even if the committee does not have any receipts or expenditures to disclose for the period covered by the Statement. The Annual Campaign Statement is waived if the committee files a Post-General Campaign Statement during the month of December.

A Pre-Election Campaign Statement is required to be filed 11 days before any election in which the committee participates (closes 16 days before the election).

A Post-Election Campaign Statement is required 30 days after any election in which the committee participates (closes 20 days after the election). A committee that files a Pre-Election Campaign Statement for an election is automatically required to file a Post-Election Campaign Statement for that election.

A Ballot Question Committee that supports or opposes the qualification of a statewide ballot proposal is required to file a Qualification or Non-Qualification Campaign Statement 35 days after the proposal qualifies or fails to qualify for the ballot (closes 28 days after the qualification or non-qualification date). The due dates of Qualification and Non-Qualification Campaign Statements are provided to committees through the Michigan Department of State's Bureau of Elections. Qualification or Non-Qualification Campaign Statements are not waived by a Reporting Waiver.

Late Contribution Reports

All Committees must report all "late contributions." A late contribution is any single contribution of $200.00 or more received by the committee between the 15th and 3rd day before the date of any "election" in which the committee participates.

A Late Contribution Report must be received by the committee's filing official within 48 hours after the committee receives the contribution. A Late Contribution Report must contain the date and amount of the contribution along with the contributor's name, street address, occupation, employer and principal place of business. The report may be made in a telegram or by any other means of written communication, including fax. A Late Contribution Report need not contain an original signature. In addition to this report, a late contribution must be disclosed on the next Campaign Statement filed by the committee.