Redesignating contributions given
A candidate committee may ask a party committee to redesignate a contribution (or a portion of it) for a different election. Redesignation permits the donor to remedy an excessive contribution so that the excessive portion counts against a different election limit. The candidate committee must receive the redesignation within 60 days of its receipt of the original contribution. Otherwise, the committee must refund the excessive portion to the party committee.
Reporting on Form 3X
Party committees report redesignating a contribution made to a candidate on Form 3X, Line 23 using memo entries.
Reporting the original contribution
The original contribution was given on 8/12/2018 and is disclosed in the 2018 September Monthly reporting period.
If a contribution is redesignated to a different election after the close of books for the reporting period, then the party committee will show the redesignation on the report covering when the redesignation is made. The party committee will itemize:
- A memo entry showing the contribution as it was originally reported
- A memo entry showing the contribution as it was redesignated, including the date the redesignation was made and updated election information
Alternately, if a contribution is redesignated to a different election after the close of books for the reporting period and the committee reports using electronic filing software, then the party committee will show the redesignation on the report covering when the redesignation is made. Using the software, the party committee will itemize:
- A memo entry showing a showing the amount that will be redesignated as a negative amount
- A memo entry showing the contribution as it was redesignated, including the date the redesignation was made and updated election information.
Redesignating the original contribution
The party committee made the redesignation during the 2018 October Monthly reporting period. Since the original contribution was already disclosed in the previous report, the party committee reports the contribution as it was originally reported, as a memo entry. The next memo entry shows amount of the contribution that will be redesignated as a negative amount on Line 23. The last entry shows the amount redesignated to the general election and the date that the redesignation was made, as a memo entry.
Reporting with FECFile
To redesignate a contribution made to a candidate, right click on the contribution that you want to redesignate, select “Redesignate/Reattribute,” and select redesignate.
To redesignate a contribution made to a candidate in an earlier reporting period, go to the Reports tab and select the report during which the redesignation was made. Go to the All Transactions tab, right click on the original contribution, select “Redesignate/reattribute” and then “redesignate.” A box will pop up and tell you which report will show the redesignation.
