Candidates who are subject to contribution limits are not required to segregate primary from general in separate bank accounts. Primary and general contributions, however, must be accounted for separately, so that campaign records reflect one aggregate contribution total for each contributor giving in the primary election and a separate aggregate contribution total for each contributor giving in the general election.
Contributors giving to candidates subject to limit may make primary election contributions up to 30 days after the date of the primary if the candidate lost in the primary and the campaign has insufficient funds to pay primary debts outstanding as of the date of the primary. This means that if you lose the primary election, you will only have an additional 30 days to solicit contributions to satisfy primary debt. Contributions received in excess of the sum needed to satisfy outstanding primary debts must be returned to the original contributors.
If a candidate loses the primary election, or otherwise is not a candidate in the general election, all general election contributions must be returned to the contributors of the funds in an amount equal to the contributor's general election aggregate total.
December 31 is the last day a contributor, except the candidate, may make a general election contribution.