Question 1

What is a campaign treasurer and do I need one?

Accepted Answer

A campaign treasurer is the person legally responsible for a campaign's financial records and reports. In nearly every state, and for federal campaigns, you must appoint a treasurer before you raise or spend any money. The treasurer signs the reports — and is personally accountable for their accuracy — which is why many campaigns hire a professional firm like Capitol Financial Strategies to support or serve alongside their treasurer.

Question 2

What is the first thing I should do after deciding to run for office?

Accepted Answer

Before raising or spending a dollar: appoint a treasurer, register your campaign committee with the appropriate filing office (state election agency, county election office, or the FEC for federal races), and open a dedicated campaign bank account. Every contribution and expense must flow through that account from day one.

Question 3

Can I use my personal bank account for campaign expenses?

Accepted Answer

No. Campaign funds must be kept in a separate, dedicated campaign bank account. Mixing personal and campaign money is one of the most common — and most serious — campaign finance mistakes, and it makes accurate reporting nearly impossible.

Question 4

Can I pay myself back for money I spend on my own campaign?

Accepted Answer

In most jurisdictions, yes — but how you do it matters. Personal spending on behalf of the campaign generally must be documented as either a loan or an in-kind contribution from the candidate, reported on your disclosure, and reimbursed under your jurisdiction's rules and timelines. Keep every receipt.

Question 5

What's the difference between a candidate committee and a PAC?

Accepted Answer

A candidate committee supports one specific candidate and is controlled by that campaign. A political action committee (PAC) raises and spends money to support or oppose multiple candidates or causes, and is subject to its own registration, contribution limit, and reporting rules.

Question 6

How often do I have to file campaign finance reports?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your office and jurisdiction. Most states require quarterly reports, with additional pre-primary, pre-general, and post-election reports in election years. Federal candidates file monthly or quarterly with the FEC. Your filing office publishes the calendar each cycle — missing one date can trigger fines.

Question 7

What happens if I miss a campaign finance filing deadline?

Accepted Answer

Most jurisdictions impose automatic late fees or civil penalties that grow the longer the report is missing, and late filings are public — opponents and reporters check them. If you're late, file as soon as possible and consider professional help to correct course. Capitol Financial Strategies regularly helps campaigns get delinquent reports filed and penalties addressed.

Question 8

How do I fix a mistake on a campaign finance report I already filed?

Accepted Answer

File an amended report with the same filing office, correcting the error. Amendments are normal — every experienced campaign files them. The key is to amend promptly once you discover an error rather than waiting for the filing office to find it.

Question 9

What's the difference between FEC filing and state filing?

Accepted Answer

Federal candidates (President, U.S. Senate, U.S. House) file with the Federal Election Commission under federal law. Candidates for state and local office file with their state's election agency — such as the Florida Division of Elections or the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance — under that state's laws. The rules, limits, forms, and deadlines are completely separate systems.

Question 10

What records do I need to keep for my campaign?

Accepted Answer

Keep records of every contribution (donor name, address, date, amount, and often occupation/employer) and every expenditure (payee, date, amount, purpose), plus bank statements and receipts. Most jurisdictions require you to retain records for several years after the election.

Question 11

Are there limits on how much someone can give to my campaign?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every state sets its own contribution limits by office and donor type, and federal races have federal limits. Some states limit corporate contributions or ban them entirely. Check your state filing office's current limits before accepting contributions — limits change between cycles.

Question 12

Can my campaign accept cash contributions?

Accepted Answer

Most jurisdictions allow small cash contributions up to a limit (commonly $50–$100), but cash is hard to document and easy to get wrong. Whenever possible, accept contributions by check or online so there is an automatic paper trail with the donor's information.

Question 13

Can businesses or corporations donate to my campaign?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your state and the office. Corporate contributions are prohibited in federal races and in many states, allowed with limits in others, and some states treat LLCs differently from corporations. Accepting a prohibited corporate check is a common violation — screen every business contribution against your state's rules.

Question 14

What is an in-kind contribution?

Accepted Answer

An in-kind contribution is a donation of goods or services instead of money — donated event space, printing, food, or professional services. In-kind contributions usually count toward contribution limits and must be reported at fair market value, just like cash.

Question 15

What information must I collect from donors?

Accepted Answer

At minimum: full name, address, date, and amount for every contribution. Many jurisdictions also require occupation and employer once a donor passes a threshold, and some require it for every contribution. Collect it at the point of donation — chasing donors for missing information before a filing deadline is painful.

Question 16

What can campaign funds legally be spent on?

Accepted Answer

Campaign funds must be spent on campaign-related expenses: advertising, staff, office space, events, travel, and the like. Personal use of campaign funds — mortgage payments, personal vehicles, vacations, clothing in most cases — is prohibited nearly everywhere and is the single most damaging violation a campaign can commit.

Question 17

What are the most common campaign finance violations?

Accepted Answer

The violations regulators see most: missing filing deadlines, incomplete donor information, accepting contributions over the limit, prohibited corporate contributions, commingling personal and campaign funds, and math errors between the bank account and the report. All six are preventable with disciplined bookkeeping from day one.

Question 18

What happens during a campaign finance audit?

Accepted Answer

The filing office or ethics commission reviews your reports against your bank records and documentation, looking for unreported contributions or spending, math discrepancies, and prohibited transactions. Campaigns with clean, reconciled books get through audits quickly; campaigns with shoebox records face findings, fines, and headlines.

Question 19

I received a notice about a campaign finance violation. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

Don't ignore it — deadlines in enforcement notices are short. Read the notice carefully, gather your records, and respond on time. Many notices are resolved by filing a corrected report and paying a modest fine, but only if you engage promptly. Professional help is worth it here.

Question 20

What does a campaign finance compliance consultant do?

Accepted Answer

A compliance consultant manages your campaign's financial reporting obligations: setting up your books, tracking contributions and expenditures, preparing and filing disclosure reports, managing the filing calendar, and correcting or amending reports when needed. Capitol Financial Strategies handles this work for campaigns, state and county parties, and non-profits.

Question 21

When should I hire professional campaign finance help?

Accepted Answer

Before you raise your first dollar. The cost of professional setup and bookkeeping is small compared to the fines, amendments, and press coverage that follow a botched first report. That said, Capitol Financial Strategies frequently steps in mid-campaign to clean up books and get filings back on track.

Question 22

Does Capitol Financial Strategies work with first-time candidates?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Many of our clients are running for the first time. Free state-specific campaign finance guides and a campaign kick-off checklist are available on our Resources page.

Question 23

Does Capitol Financial Strategies handle both state and federal compliance?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Capitol Financial Strategies prepares state campaign disclosures across the country as well as federal reports. If you're unsure which rules apply to your race, contact us and we'll point you in the right direction.

Campaign Finance FAQ

Getting Started

Filing & Deadlines

Contributions & Limits

Spending & Compliance

Working With Capitol Financial Strategies

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