Registering as a Super PAC
Super PACs are independent expenditure-only political committees that may receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, labor unions and other political action committees for the purpose of financing independent expenditures and other independent political activity. The committee will not use those funds to make contributions, whether direct, in-kind or via coordinated communications, to federal candidates or committees.
A Super PAC becomes a political committee once its contributions or expenditures exceed $1,000 in a calendar year. After the committee crosses that threshold, it must register within 10 days, using the Statement of Organization, Form 1. A PAC may register and begin reporting before it exceeds the $1,000 threshold.
Page 1: Committee information
On Line 1, enter basic information about the committee, including:
- The full, official name of the committee.
- The address of record.
- The committee’s email address. A committee may list up to two email addresses. The Commission sends courtesy reporting reminders and other correspondence to the email addresses listed.
- The committee’s website address, if one exists.
On Line 2, enter the date the committee exceeded the $1,000 registration threshold and officially became a political committee.
On Line 3, enter the committee’s identification number. The FEC assigns each committee an identification number after the committee has filed a registration statement. This number is used by the FEC for computer indexing and is not the taxpayer identification number required by the Internal Revenue Service. Only committees that have previously filed a Statement of Organization should fill in this block with the number that was originally assigned to the committee. All new committees will be assigned identification numbers when the completed statement has been received, so a new committee leaves this field blank when they file the first Statement of Organization. Thereafter, the committee must enter the assigned FEC identification number on all statements and reports.
On Line 4, check “New” if you are filing the committee’s Form 1 for the first time. Otherwise, check “Amended.”
The treasurer will sign and date the Statement of Organization at the bottom of the first page.
STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATION, PAGE 1
On the first page of the Form 1, Critical Reason Super PAC enters general information about the committee, including its official committee name, address, email address, web address and the date it officially became a political committee.
Critical Reason Super PAC does not have an FEC committee identification number because it is a new committee. It leaves the FEC ID blank on this filing. Once the ID is assigned, the committee will include the FEC ID on all of its statements and reports. The committee also checks the “new” box on Line 4.
The treasurer, Seymour Glass, signs and dates the Form 1 at the bottom of the page.
Page 2: Committee type
On Line 5, select box 5(g) to select “independent expenditure-only political committee (Super PAC).”
If the committee is also a Lobbyist/Registrant PAC check the corresponding box under the Super PAC checkbox.
STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATION, PAGE 2
On Line 5, select box 5(g).
Page 3: Affiliated committees, connected organizations and committee officials
On Line 6, list the names and addresses of any committees affiliated with the registering committee, including joint fundraising representatives. Do not leave this line blank. If there are no affiliated committees or sponsors, then enter “none” on this line.
On Line 7, enter the name, address and committee position of the individual who has actual possession of the committee’s financial records. The committee’s treasurer, assistant treasurer or another person (such as an accountant or bookkeeper) may serve as the custodian of records.
On Line 8, provide the name and mailing address of the treasurer. The telephone number is optional but is helpful in resolving potential filing problems.
STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATION, PAGE 3
Critical Reason Super PAC does not have a connected organization and entered “none” in box 6.
The committee designated Seymour Glass as both the custodian of records and the committee’s treasurer. The committee includes Seymour's contact information.
Page 4: Committee officials and banks
Line 8, which designates committee officials, continues on page 4. The Commission urges political committees to name an assistant treasurer, or “designated agent.” Only a registered assistant treasurer may sign reports and statements in the treasurer’s absence.
On Line 9, list the name and address (but not the account number) of the campaign depositories the committee maintains for depositing receipts and making disbursements. Each political committee must maintain at least one checking account or transaction account at one of its depositories. The following institutions may be designated:
- State banks
- Federally chartered depository institutions, including national banks
- Depositories insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the National Credit Union Administration
Affiliated committees may not share the same bank account, though they may establish separate bank accounts at the same financial institution.
STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATION, PAGE 4
On page 4, the PAC has the option of appointing a designated agent.
Committees are required to disclose its campaign depositories. On Line 9, the committee listed the Bank of Fairfax as its official depository and included the bank’s address.
Continuation pages
Some committees need to disclose more information than the main pages of the Form 1 allow. For example, a committee could have additional banks, affiliated committees, or designated agents. Use Form 1’s supplemental pages (Form 1S) to include all of the committee’s necessary information.
Amending the Statement of Organization
A committee must report any change or correction of information contained in its Statement of Organization within 10 days after the change. A committee may have to file an amendment, for example, to report a new treasurer, a new assistant treasurer, a new email address, a change of address or a new campaign depository. The committee must indicate on Form 1 (or in a letter, if the committee does not file electronically) that the statement is an amendment to its registration.
The amount of information required on an amended Statement of Organization depends on whether the committee files on paper or electronically.
If the committee files electronically, submit a fully completed Form 1.
In the case of paper filers, the Form 1 or letter needs to include:
- The name and address of the committee (Line 1)
- The date the change took effect (Line 2)
- The FEC ID number (Line 3)
- An indication that the statement is an amendment to the Statement of Organization (Line 4)
- The changed information (appropriate line number)
- The name and signature of the treasurer (or assistant treasurer)
- The date signed
Reporting with webforms
To create a new Statement of Organization, go to the online webform. Select “New” and then click “Yes.” When prompted to select the Political Action Committee type choose “Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only)” Continue through the prompts, complete all required fields and click “Submit” to upload the form to the FEC.
Select "Super PAC" when prompted to select the PAC type.
To amend a Statement of Organization, go to the online webform and select “Amended.” Enter the committee’s FEC ID and electronic filing password. Select the committee’s most recent Form 1 from the list. Update any fields with new information and click “Submit” to upload the form to the FEC.
Reporting with FECFile
To create a new Statement of Organization, go to the Reports tab, right click and select “new.” Then select “Form 1 (Statement of Organization).”
To amend a Statement of Organization, go to the Reports tab, click on the existing Statement of Organization in the list, right click on the report and select “amend.”
