October reporting reminder (2005)

The following reports are due in October:1

All principal campaign committees of House and Senate candidates must file a quarterly report by October 15. The report covers financial activity from July 1 (or the day after the closing date of the last report) through September 30.

Principal campaign 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).

All national party committees, PACs and state and local party committees that elect to following a monthly filing schedule and state and local party committees required to file monthly because they engage in reportable federal election activity must file a monthly report by October 20. This report covers activity for the month of September.

Note that the October 15 reporting deadline falls on a weekend. Filing deadlines are not extended when they fall on weekends.

Filing electronically

Under the Commission’s mandatory electronic filing regulations, individuals and organizations2 who receive contributions or make expenditures in excess of $50,000 in a calendar year—or 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 action, including administrative fines. 11 CFR 104.18.

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 or “overnight mail” must be postmarked by the filing date. 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 online tracking system. A committee sending its reports by certified mail should keep its mailing receipt with the postmark as proof of filing. 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 a receipt as proof that the report was transmitted.

Reports sent by any 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). The Commission’s Public Disclosure Division will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 15, to receive and process hand-delivered reports and reports received via first class mail.

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).

Filing frequency for PACs

PACs may file on either a semiannual or a monthly basis in non-election years. Committees wishing to change their filing frequency must notify the Commission in writing when filing a report under the committee’s current schedule. Electronic filers must file this request electronically. A committee may change its filing frequency only once per calendar year. 11 CFR 104.5(c).

Filing frequency for party committees

A state, district or local party committee that filed monthly in 2004 due to its federal election activity must notify the Commission in writing if it wishes to file semiannually in 2005. 11 CFR 104.5(b)(2). Electronic filers must file this request electronically.

Additional information

For more reporting information on 2005 reporting dates:

• See the reporting tables in the January 2005 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 (202-501-3413, document 586); or
• Visit the FEC’s web page to view the reporting tables online.

Footnotes:

1 Committees involved in the October 4, 2005, special election in California’s 48th congressional district may be required to file additional reports in October. See the September 2005 Record.

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. 11 CFR 104.18(a).