July reporting reminder

Committees filing on a quarterly basis have a report due by July 15. The report covers financial activity from April 1—or the day after the closing date of the last report— through June 30. Note that the July 15 reporting deadline falls on a weekend. Filing deadlines are not extended when they fall on weekends.

In addition to filing quarterly reports, committees of House and Senate candidates active in the 2006 elections must file pre-election reports and may have to file 48-hour notices of last minute contributions of $1,000 or more. Political action committees (PACs) and party committees filing on a quarterly basis may also have to file pre-election reports and 48- or 24-hour reports of independent expenditures, depending upon the timing of their activities.

National party committees, PACs following a monthly schedule and certain state, district and local party committees must file a monthly report by July 20.¹ The report covers activity for the month of June. Also, these committees may have to file 48- or 24-hour reports of independent expenditures, depending upon the timing of their activities.

Electronic filing software

The Commission recently updated its electronic filing format to Version 5.3.1.0. Before filing their next report, FECFile users must download version 5.3 of the software from the FEC website.

Committees using commercial software should contact their vendors for more information about the latest software release. Only reports filed in the new format version will be accepted.

Filing electronically

Under the Commission’s mandatory electronic filing regulations, individuals and organizations² that receive contributions or make expenditures in excess of $50,000 in a calendar year—or have reason to expect to do so—must file all reports and statements with the FEC electronically. Electronic filers who instead file on paper or submit an electronic report that does not pass the Commission’s validation program will be considered nonfilers and may be subject to enforcement actions, including administrative fines.

Senate committees and other committees that file with the Secretary of the Senate are not subject to the mandatory electronic filing rules, but may file an unofficial electronic copy of their reports with the Commission in order to speed disclosure.

Timely filing for paper filers

Reports sent by registered or certified mail, by Express or Priority Mail with delivery confirmation or by overnight mail with an online tracking system must be postmarked, or deposited with the mailing service, by the filing deadline. A committee sending its reports by certified mail should keep its mailing receipt with the postmark as proof of filing because the U.S. Postal Service does not keep complete records of items sent by certified mail. A committee sending its reports by registered, Express or Priority mail, or by an overnight delivery service, should also keep its proof of mailing or other means of transmittal of its reports.

Reports sent by other means—including first class mail and courier—must be received by the FEC before it closes its doors on the filing deadline. 2 U.S.C. §434(a)(5) and 11 CFR 104.5(e).

For those filers who are not required to file their reports electronically, paper forms are available on the FEC’s website and from FEC Faxline, the agency’s automated fax system, 202/501-3413.

Additional information

For more information on 2006 reporting dates:

• See the reporting tables in the January 2006 Record;
• Call and request the reporting tables from the FEC at 800/424- 9530 or 202/694-1100;
• Fax the reporting tables to yourself using the FEC’s Faxline at 202/501-3413, document 586; or
• Visit the FEC’s website to view the reporting tables online.

¹ State, district and local party committees that have $5,000 or more of aggregate receipts and disbursements in a calendar year for federal election activity (FEA) or less than $5,000 of aggregate receipts and disbursements of federal funds in a calendar year for FEA must file monthly. 11 CFR 300.36(c).

² The regulation covers individuals and organizations required to file reports with the Commission, including any person making an independent expenditure. Disbursements made by individuals or unregistered entities for electioneering communications do not count toward the $50,000 threshold for mandatory electronic filing. See 11 CFR 104.18(a).