Campaign Finance Reporting

According to Texas Election Law Title 15 (the "Fair Campaign Practices Act") the City Secretary's Office is responsible for receiving and providing access to Campaign Finance Reports from local candidates, officeholders, and political committees. It the responsibility of each candidate, officeholder, or committee to ensure that all required campaign finance documents and reports are filed, including (but not necessarily limited to) those listed below.

Candidates, officeholders, and political committees should familiarize themselves with the Texas Ethics Commission Campaign Finance Guide for Candidates and Officeholders Who File with Local Filing Authorities (PDF) (as well as the items listed in the "Texas Ethics Commission Campaign Finance Links" section below) to ensure that they are fulfilling these requirements.

APPOINTING A CAMPAIGN TREASURER

The Texas Election Code requires Appointment of a Campaign Treasurer (Form CTA) for candidates and political committees to be filed with the Office of the City Secretary. This is a requirement even if you are filing under "Modified Reporting" or do not intend to accept campaign contributions or make campaign expenditures.

REPORTS DUE 30 DAYS AND 8 DAYS BEFORE AN ELECTION 

An opposed candidate in an upcoming election must file a Report of Contributions and Expenditures (PDF) (also linked below) 30 days and 8 days before the election. Each of these pre-election reports must be received by the City Secretary's Office (City Hall, 405 Municipal Drive) no later than the report due date. A person who has elected modified reporting and who remains eligible for modified reporting is not required to file these reports. See "Modified Reporting" on page 20 of the Texas Ethics Commission Campaign Finance Guide for Candidates and Officeholders Who File with Local Filing Authorities (PDF).

REPORTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAY 2, 2020 ELECTION

• Thursday, April 2, 2020, by 5:00 p.m. (30 days before the election)
• Friday, April 24, 2020, by 5:00 p.m. (8 days before the election)

SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTS

Generally, candidates and officeholders are required to file a Campaign Finance Report of Contributions and Expenditures (FORM C/OH, also linked below) by January 15 and July 15 of each year. The reports filed on these dates are known as semiannual reports. These reports must be filed even if there is no activity to report for the period covered. An officeholder who selects modified reporting must still file semiannual reports.

ENDING FILING OBLIGATIONS

If a filer expects to accept no further political contributions and to make no further political expenditures and if the filer expects to take no further action to get elected to a public office, the filer may file a final report. This is accomplished by completing a Report of Contributions and Expenditures (also linked below) that includes the last page (FORM C/OH - FR). This page should not be filed with earlier reports.