YEAR-END REPORT NOTICE

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

REPORTING DATES

WHO MUST FILE

Principal campaign committees of congressional candidates2 (including unopposed candidates and candidates whose names do not appear on the ballot) must file a Year-End Report on January 31, 2006.3 Committees must continue to file reports until the Commission notifies them in writing that their termination report has been accepted.

METHOD OF FILING

Reports sent by registered or certified mail must be postmarked by the mailing date. Committees should keep the mailing receipt with its postmark as proof of filing.

If using overnight mail, the delivery service must receive the report by the mailing date. "Overnight mail" includes Priority or Express Mail having a delivery confirmation, or an overnight delivery service with an on-line tracking system. Reports filed by any other means must be received by the Commission (or Secretary of the Senate for Senate committees) by the filing date.

COMPLIANCE

• Treasurers of political committees 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.
• Under the Administrative Fine Program, political committees and their treasurers who fail to file their reports (including 48-hour notices) on time may be subject to civil money penalties up to $16,000 (or more for repeat late- and non-filers). 5
• In addition, political committees that file illegible reports or use non-FEC forms (except for FEC-approved, computer-generated forms) will be required to refile their reports.
• Electronic filers who instead file on paper or submit an electronic report (either by direct transmission or on 3.5" diskette) that does not pass the validation test will be considered non-filers and may be subject to enforcement actions (including administrative fines).
• Please note that principal campaign committees of candidates for the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate must file FEC Form 3Z-1 [PDF] as part of their July Quarterly and Year-End Reports in the year preceding the year in which the general election for the office sought is held.

ELECTRONIC FILING

U.S. House committees that receive contributions or make expenditures in excess of $50,000 in a calendar year, or that expect to do so, must submit their reports electronically. For additional information, call the FEC's Electronic Filing office at (800) 424-9530 or (202) 694-1642.

REPORTING SCHEDULE FOR 2006

REPORTING DATES

Note: A committee whose candidate is active in a 2006 state primary, nominating convention or runoff election 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. Separate notices will be sent to explain these additional reporting obligations. See January 2006 [PDF] Record.

48 HOUR NOTICES ON CONTRIBUTIONS

Notices are required if the committee receives contributions (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, during the period less than 20 days but more than 48 hours before any election in which the candidate is running. The notices must reach the appropriate federal and/or state filing office within 48 hours of the committee's receipt of the contribution(s). Campaign committees that file electronically MUST submit their 48-hour notices electronically.

FOR INFORMATION, CALL: (800) 424-9530 or (202) 694-1100

FOOTNOTES:

1 These dates indicate the beginning and the end of the reporting period. A reporting period always begins the day after the closing date of the last report filed. If the committee is new and has not previously filed a report, the first report must cover all activity that occurred before the committee registered.

2 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.

3 If the campaign has more than one authorized committee in addition to the principal campaign committee, the principal campaign committee must also file a consolidated report on Form 3Z.

4 Notice that this deadline falls on a weekend. Filing dates are not extended when they fall on nonworking days.

5 Penalties for late- or non-filing of 48-hour notices are based on the amount of contributions not timely disclosed. As a result, these penalties may exceed $16,000, even for first-time violations.