October reporting reminder (2023)
Committees must file the following reports in October:
- All authorized committees of House and Senate candidates must file a quarterly report by October 15, 2023. The report covers financial activity from July 1 (or the day after the closing date of the last report) through September 30;
- Authorized committees of presidential candidates must file a report by October 15, if they are quarterly filers (the report covers financial activity from July 1 through September 30), or by October 20, if they are monthly filers (the report covers activity for the month of September);
- National party committees and other political committees following a monthly filing schedule must file a monthly report by October 20. This includes state, district and local party committees that engage in reportable “federal election activity” (see the “State, district and local party committees” section). The report covers activity for the month of September.
All other PACs and party committees will file a Year-End Report by January 31, 2024 (the report covers financial activity from July 1 through December 31).
Since the October 15 deadline falls on a weekend in 2023, quarterly filers using methods other than electronic filing or registered, certified or overnight mail must ensure that their reports are received by the Commission before the close of business on the last business day before the deadline (i.e., Friday, October 13).
Quarterly filers that participate in special elections—including PACs and party committees filing semiannually—may need to file pre- and post-election reports that are not accounted for above. Remember, reporting periods always begin the day after the closing date of the last report filed.
Reporting help is always just a phone call away at 800-424-9530. Select option 4 for technical assistance with electronic filing, option 5 to speak with the analyst who reviews your committee’s reports or option 6 to speak with an Information Specialist. You can also submit a question for your analyst online.
The Commission will also host a Candidate FECFile Webinar on October 4, 2023.
Notification of filing deadlines
In addition to publishing this article and the online reporting tables, the Commission notifies committees of filing deadlines through reporting reminders called prior notices. Prior notices are distributed exclusively by email, so every committee should ensure that the email address on its Statement of Organization (Form 1) is current. Each committee may list up to two email addresses. To amend the Form 1, electronic filers must submit the Form 1 filled out in its entirety. Paper filers should include only the committee’s name, address, FEC identification number and the updated or changed portions of the form. Committees may also use our online webform to update their information. (Paper filers should be aware that submitting a webform obligates them to file electronically for the balance of the calendar year.)
Treasurer’s responsibilities
The Commission provides reminders of upcoming filing dates as a courtesy to help committees comply with the filing deadlines set forth in the Federal Election Campaign Act and Commission regulations. Committee treasurers are responsible for filing committee reports on time. Not receiving a prior notice does not excuse committee treasurers for failing to comply with any filing deadline.
Filing electronically
Under the Commission’s mandatory electronic filing regulations, political committees and other persons required to file reports with the Commission that receive contributions or make expenditures, including independent expenditures, aggregating in excess of $50,000 in a calendar year—or have reason to expect to do so—must file all reports and statements electronically.
Reports filed electronically must be received and validated by the Commission by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the filing date. Electronic filers who file on paper or submit an electronic report that does not pass the Commission’s validation program by that time on the filing deadline will be considered non-filers and may be subject to enforcement actions, including administrative fines.
The Commission’s electronic filing software, FECFile, is free and can be downloaded from the FEC's website. All reports filed must be filed in version 8.4 of the electronic filing software. Reports filed in previous versions of the software will not be accepted. Filers may also use commercial or privately developed software as long as the software meets the Commission’s format specifications. Committees using commercial software should contact their vendors to ensure their software meets the latest specifications.
Timely filing for paper filers
Registered and certified mail
Reports sent by registered or certified mail are considered to be filed on the date of their postmark. Accordingly, reports sent by registered or certified mail must be postmarked on or before the filing deadline to be considered timely filed. A committee sending its reports by registered or certified mail should keep its mailing receipt with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) postmark as proof of mailing, because the USPS does not keep complete records of items sent by certified or registered mail.
Overnight mail
Reports sent via overnight mail will be considered timely filed if the report is postmarked on or before the filing deadline. “Overnight mail” includes Priority Mail or Priority Express Mail having a delivery confirmation, or an overnight service with which the report is scheduled for next business day delivery and is recorded in the service’s online tracking system. Note that “Express Mail” as referred to in FEC regulations has been renamed “Priority Express Mail” by the USPS. Reports filed via overnight mail will be considered timely filed if the report is received by the delivery service on or before the mailing/filing deadline. A committee sending its reports by Priority Mail or Priority Express Mail, or by an overnight delivery service, should keep its proof of mailing or other means of transmittal of its reports.
Other means of filing
Reports sent by other means — including first class mail — must be received by the FEC before close of business on the filing deadline. Paper filers may download forms from the FEC's website. Reports submitted by first-class mail will be considered filed when actually received by Commission staff. The FEC does not have statutory authority to extend filing deadlines, but it may choose not to pursue administrative fines against filers prevented from filing by reasonably unforeseen circumstances beyond their control.
Authorized committees of candidates
House and Senate candidates
All campaigns that have a reporting obligation must file quarterly reports. Generally, an individual becomes a candidate for federal office, thus triggering registration and reporting obligations, when his or her campaign exceeds $5,000 in either contributions received or expenditures made. If the campaign has not exceeded the $5,000 threshold, it is not required to file reports.
Presidential candidates
All presidential committees must file on either a monthly or a quarterly schedule. Presidential committees able to change their reporting schedule and that wish to do so are required to notify the Commission in writing.
Candidates with more than one authorized committee
If a candidate has more than one authorized committee, the principal campaign committee files, with its own report (FEC Form 3 or 3P), a consolidated report of receipts and disbursements (FEC Form 3Z) showing its own activity as well as the activity of all other authorized committees of the candidate.
State, district and local party committees
State, district and local party committees that engage in reportable “federal election activity” must file on a monthly schedule. Committees that do not engage in reportable “federal election activity” may file on a monthly or semi-annual basis in 2023.
National party committees
National committees of political parties must file on a monthly schedule.
Other political committees
Political committees (PACs), including separate segregated funds, committees with non-contribution accounts (Hybrid PACs), independent expenditure-only committees (Super PACs) and other nonconnected committees that filed on a quarterly basis during 2022 file on a semi-annual basis in 2023. Monthly filers continue on the monthly schedule.
Changing filing frequency
PACs may change their filing schedule once a year, but must first notify the Commission in writing (or electronically, if electronic filers). A committee may change its filing frequency only once per calendar year.
The committee will receive an email from the Commission approving the filing frequency change.
Additional information
For more information on 2023 reporting dates:
- Call and request the reporting tables from the FEC at 800/424-9530 or 202/694-1100; or
- Visit the FEC’s web page at https://www.fec.gov/help-candidates-and-committees/dates-and-deadlines/ to view the reporting tables online.
Citations
Regulations
11 CFR 100.3(a)
Definition of candidate
11 CFR 100.5
Political committee
11 CFR 100.19
Timely filed reports; electronically filed reports
11 CFR 102.2
Email on Statement of Organization (FEC Form 1)
11 CFR 104.1(a)
Treasurer must file reports
11 CFR 104.3(f)
Contents of reports; Consolidated reports
11 CFR 104.5(a)-(f), (h) and (i)
Filing dates for candidates; filing dates for committees that are not authorized committees of candidates; date of filing; 48-hour notice of contributions; special election reports; retaining proof of mailing
11 CFR 104.7
Treasurer must use “best efforts”
11 CFR 104.14(a), (d)
Treasurer’s Responsibilities
11 CFR 104.18(a)(1),(2) and (e)
Mandatory electronic filing and validation program