Choosing Mini or Full Reporting
Some campaigns may be eligible for an exemption from submitting contribution and expenditure reports.
Reporting Options Explained
All candidates and committees required to register a campaign must select either the full or mini reporting option. The choice is guided by the amount of money the candidate or committee intends to raise and spend on the campaign. Regardless of which option outlined below is chosen, candidates and political committees must keep accurate, detailed records and be prepared to receive requests to make these records available for public inspection during the 10 days preceding the primary, general or special election in which they're participating.
Mini Reporting:
This reporting option is available only to candidates and committees that will raise and spend no more than $7,000 (in addition to filing fees, if a candidate campaign). These committees also must commit to receive no more than $500 from any one contributor (other than the candidate themselves). Candidates and committees choosing mini reporting do not file contribution and expenditure reports, but they must file a registration statement, keep records of their contributions and expenditures, and comply with these disclosure requirements:
- Allow public inspections of campaign books during the 8 calendar days before an election,
- Include proper sponsor identification, any party preference and other required elements needed for political advertising, and
- Submit C-6s for independent expenditures and electioneering communications.
Candidates also must file the Personal Financial Affairs Statement within two weeks of becoming a candidate,
Full Reporting:
State or local contribution limits may apply, but there is no cap on how much a candidate or committee may raise and spend overall. Frequent, detailed reports of the contributions received and made are required.
Changing Reporting Options
Candidates and committees should carefully consider how much money they intend to raise and spend and select the reporting option that they intend to comply with for the duration of the campaign. The PDC realizes that candidates and committees are not always able to accurately forecast campaign costs and may need to switch to a different reporting option.
From mini to full reporting:
Changing from mini to full reporting requires the PDC staff’s approval. For any election other than the general election, the deadline is 30 business days before the election. In 2024, June 24 is the deadline for the primary election and Sept. 3 is the deadline for the general election.
So long as a completed application for changing options is received by the deadline, the application will be approved by the PDC's executive director. At the time of your request, you must not have exceeded the mini reporting limits.
Start by submitting your request at our helpdesk portal. Choose "request mini-to-full permission."
In order to change from one reporting option to another, a campaign must notify all opposing candidacies or committees in writing of the change and send the following documents to the PDC:
- a letter or email requesting to change from mini to full which includes a statement verifying you have notified each opposing candidate or committee in writing of your plan to change reporting options; and
- a copy of the notification to opponents.
Additionally, the following items must be completed and filed electronically:
- PDC forms C-3 and C-4 with relevant schedules and attachments disclosing all contributions and expenditures from the start of the campaign to the current date.
Filing these reports can take some time – don’t wait until the last minute if you are going to change options.
If a candidate or political committee wishes to change from mini to full reporting and the completed application for changing options is received at the PDC’s office on or before the deadline, the application will be approved by the executive director. Approval to change reporting options received after the deadline will only be approved under the following circumstances:
- A write-in opponent has filed for office after the deadline;
- An independent expenditure is made in support of the applicant’s opponent or in opposition to the applicant after the deadline;
- A candidate’s opponent has been approved to change reporting options; or
- A political committee on one side of an election campaign or proposition has opposition who received approval to change reporting options.
Changing from full to mini reporting option:
No approval is necessary as long as the mini reporting limits have not been exceeded. Simply amend the registration statement indicating the new option. You are responsible for filing the C-3 and C-4 reports that were due during the time you were registered under full reporting.