Form 501
CA Form 501
Who Files Form 501
A candidate for state or local office must file this form for each election for a specific office. Exception: A new Form 501 is not required for the general election or special general election if the candidate filed a Form 501 for the connected primary or special primary election for the same office sought. Candidates for the county central committee who do not raise or spend $2,000 or more in a calendar year are not required to file a Form 501
When to File Form 501
File Form 501 before you solicit or receive any contributions or before you make expenditures from personal funds on behalf of your candidacy. This form is considered filed on the date it is postmarked, or hand-delivered. Ensure campaign deadlines are met. Go to www.fppc.ca.gov for most campaign disclosure filing schedules or check with your local filing officer.
Where to File Form 501
State Candidates (including Judges): Secretary of State Political Reform Division 1500 11th Street, Room 495 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone (916) 653-6224 For filing with a verified digital signature, please access the Secretary of State’s website for more information: www.sos.ca.gov
Local Candidates: Your county election office (Registrar of Voters)
Form 410
Form 410
Who Files Form 410
Candidates: The personal funds of a candidate or officeholder used to seek or hold elective office are contributions and count toward qualifying as a recipient committee. However, personal funds used to pay a candidate filing fee or a fee for the statement of qualifications to appear in the ballot pamphlet do not count toward the $2,000 threshold.
Recipient Committees: Persons (including an officeholder or candidate), organizations, groups, or other entities that raise contributions from others totaling $2,000 or more in a calendar year to spend on California elections. They must register with the Secretary of State and report all receipts and expenditures. “Contributions” include monetary payments, loans, and non-monetary goods and services received or made for a political purpose.
Multipurpose Organizations: A nonprofit organization, federal or out-of-state PAC, or other multipurpose organization that makes contributions or expenditures in California elections may also be required to register as a recipient committee with the Secretary of State. See the Fact Sheet on Multipurpose Organizations Reporting Political Spending and the Supplemental Form 410 Instructions.
When to File Form 410
File this form within 10 days of receiving $2,000 in contributions. Include a $50 payment made payable to the Secretary of State. Thereafter, the $50 fee is due annually no later than January 15. In addition to the $50 fee, a penalty of $150 may be assessed if payment is late.
For early submissions, mark the “not yet qualified” box. The $50 fee is requested at this time but is not legally required until the committee qualification threshold has been met.
Where to File Form 410
All Committees: Form 410 with original ink signature(s) Secretary of State Political Reform Division 1500 11th Street, Rm 495 Sacramento, CA 95814 Form 410 with digital signature(s) Secretary of State Via email at: [email protected] As a PDF attachment Must contain a verified digital signature on the Signature Line. Please access the Secretary of State’s website for detailed instructions on how to submit Form 410 with a digital signature.
County Committees: Also, file a copy with the local filing officer (Registrar of Voters) who will receive the original campaign statements. Read the instructions carefully as Form 410 will be rejected if all applicable sections are not completed.
Form 460
Form 460
Who Files Form 460
Candidates, Officeholders, and Their Controlled Committees
A candidate or officeholder who has a controlled committee, or who has raised or spent or will raise or spend $2,000 or more during a calendar year in connection with election to office or holding office. The Form 460 is also required if $2,000 or more will be raised or spent during the calendar year at the behest of the officeholder or candidate.
Primarily Formed Ballot Measure Committees
A person, entity, or organization that receives contributions totaling $2,000 or more during a calendar year for the primary purpose of supporting or opposing the qualification, passage, or defeat of a single ballot measure or two or more measures being voted on in the same city, county, multi-county, or state election.
Primarily Formed Candidate/Officeholder Committees
A person, entity, or organization that receives contributions totaling $2,000 or more during a calendar year to support or oppose a single candidate or officeholder, or two or more candidates or officeholders who are being voted upon in the same city, county, or multi-county election. This type of committee is not controlled by the candidate(s) or officeholder(s).
NOTE: Non-controlled committees that do not receive contributions, loans, or miscellaneous receipts totaling $100 or more from a single source during a calendar year may use Form 450 – Recipient Committee Campaign Statement – Short Form. Note: Refer to the Statement of Organization, Form 410, for guidance to determine the type of committee.
When to File Form 460
In general, state committees file with the Secretary of State, and local committees file with the filing officer of the local jurisdiction.
State committees include state candidates and officeholders, all judicial candidates and judges, committees that support or oppose state candidates and ballot measures (e.g., PACs, political parties), committees that support or oppose candidates and ballot measures in more than one county and candidates and committees formed for CalPERS or CalSTRS elections.
Secretary of State Political Reform Division 1500 11th Street, Room 495 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone (916) 653-6224 Fax (916) 653-5045 www.sos.ca.gov
Where to File Form 460
In general, state committees file with the Secretary of State, and local committees file with the filing officer of the local jurisdiction.
State Committees:
State committees include state candidates and officeholders, all judicial candidates and judges, committees that support or oppose state candidates and ballot measures (e.g., PACs, political parties), committees that support or oppose candidates and ballot measures in more than one county and candidates and committees formed for CalPERS or CalSTRS elections.
Secretary of State
Political Reform Division
1500 11th Street, Room 495
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone (916) 653-6224
Fax (916) 653-5045
www.sos.ca.gov
Additional Copies:
• A copy of this form must also be filed with a state candidate’s county of domicile filing officer if the state candidate committee does not file Form 460 electronically with the Secretary of State.
• A copy of this form must also be filed with a local filing officer if the committee is controlled by a candidate for state elective office and the committee is formed for a local election.
• A copy of this form must also be filed with the relevant CalPERS or CalSTRS office if the committee is a candidate-controlled or primarily formed committee for a CalPERS or CalSTRS election. A candidate seeking a CalPERS or CalSTRS election
is not required to file a copy of the statement with the candidate’s county of domicile.
Local Committees:
• Elected officers and candidates for local agencies that have jurisdiction in two or more counties and committees that support or oppose candidates or local measures being voted on in one of these jurisdictions, file an original and one copy with the election
official for the county with the largest number of registered voters in the district and one copy with their county of domicile.
• Elected county officeholders and candidates for county offices, and committees that support or oppose candidates or ballot measures being voted on within a single county, file an original and one copy with the election official for that county.
• Elected city officeholders and candidates for city offices, and committees that support or oppose candidates and ballot measures in a single city, file an original and one copy with the city clerk.
Form 470
Form 470
Who Uses Form 470
Form 470 is for use by officeholders and candidates who:
• do not have a controlled committee;
• do not anticipate receiving contributions totaling $2,000 or more during the calendar year; and
• do not anticipate spending $2,000 or more during the calendar year.
NOTE: Officeholders and candidates who have a controlled committee or who have raised or spent $2,000, file the Recipient Committee Statement – Form 460.
Exceptions:
The following individuals seeking or holding office are not required to file campaign disclosure statements (Form 470 or Form 460):
• candidates for county central committee offices that do not raise or spend $2,000 or more in a calendar year;
• officeholders whose salaries are less than $200 per month and judicial candidates who have not made or received contributions or made expenditures during non-election years; and
• judges who do not receive contributions and who make personal expenditures of less than $1,000 or more in non-election years.
When to File Form 470
To ensure campaign deadlines are met. Go to www.fppc.ca.gov for campaign disclosure filing schedules.
https://fppc.ca.gov/learn/campaign-rules/where-and-when-to-file-campaign-statements/when-to-file-campaign-statements-state-local-filing-schedules.html
If Form 470 is filed in connection with an election, or on or before the filing deadline for the first campaign statement required for the calendar year, no additional campaign statements need to be filed for that calendar year as long as total contributions received remain less than $2,000 and total expenditures made remain less than $2,000. In most cases, July 31 is the filing deadline for the first campaign statement required to be filed by officeholders and candidates not being voted upon.
The Form 470 is filed in connection with an election if it is filed with the declaration of candidacy, or as a first preelection statement in connection with an election, covering the year of the election. If, after filing Form 470, receipts or expenditures reach $2,000 or more, see the attached Form 470 Supplement for important reporting requirements.
Where to File Form 470
State Elections:
State officeholders, state candidates, candidates and members of CalPERS and CalSTRS, judges, and judicial candidates must file the original and one copy with:
Secretary of State
Political Reform Division
1500 11th Street, Room 495
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone (916) 653-6224
Fax (916) 653-5045
www.sos.ca.gov
Additional Copies:
A copy of Form 470 must also be filed with the candidate’s county of domicile’s filing officer. CalPERS and CalSTRS board candidates must file a copy of Form 470 with the relevant CalPERS or CalSTRS office and not the candidate’s county of domicile.
Local Elections:
• Elected officers and candidates for local multicounty agencies file an original and one copy with the elections official for the county with the largest number of registered voters in the district and one copy with the candidate’s county of domicile.
• Elected county officeholders and candidates for county offices file an original and one copy with the elections official for that county.
• Elected city officeholders and candidates for city offices file an original and one copy with the city clerk. Note: A local agency may impose additional requirements.
Form 450
Form 450
Who Files Form 450
Form 450 is for use by a recipient committee if the committee:
• Is not controlled by a candidate. (Exception: Candidate-controlled ballot measure committees may use this form.)
• Has not received a contribution that must be itemized (a cumulative amount of $100 or more from a single source);
• Has not received any other payment of $100 or more (miscellaneous increases to cash);
• Has no outstanding loans made or received; and
• Has no accrued expenses (unpaid bills). The committee may use this form only if all of the above criteria are met. If all criteria are not met, the committee must use Form 460, Recipient Committee Campaign Statement.
Where to File Form 450
In general, state committees file with the Secretary of State, and local committees file with the filing officer of the local jurisdiction.
State Committees:
State committees file this form with the Secretary of State. State committees include committees primarily formed to support or oppose candidates seeking a CalPERS or CalSTRS election.
Secretary of State
Political Reform Division
1500 11th Street, Room 495
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone (916) 653-6224
Fax (916) 653-5045
www.sos.ca.gov
Additional Copies: A copy of this form must also be filed with the relevant CalPERS or CalSTRS office if the committee is a primarily formed committee for a CalPERS or CalSTRS election.
Local Committees:
If a committee makes 70% or more of its contributions and independent expenditures on county candidates and measures and other county committees, file this form with the county elections official. An original and one paper copy is required. A local agency may also require electronic submissions. If a committee makes 70% or more of its contributions and independent expenditures on city candidates and measures and other city committees, file this form with the city clerk. An original and one paper copy is required. A local agency may also require electronic submissions.
When to File Form 450
Semi-Annual Statements
All general-purpose committees file a semi-annual statement for each half of the year. For the period January 1 through June 30, a semi-annual statement is due by July 31. For the period July 1 through December 31, a semi-annual statement is due by January 31 of the following year. A semi-annual statement may be filed before the deadline.
Preelection Statements – State and County General Purpose Committees
State and county general purpose committees must file a preelection statement if, during a pre-election reporting period, the committee makes contributions or independent expenditures totaling $500 or more to a state or county general purpose committee, or to support or oppose a candidate or measure on the ballot at the next state primary or general election.
Who Files Form 425
For use by recipient committees that have not received any contributions and have not made any expenditures during the six months covered by a semi-annual statement. Candidate-controlled committees formed for an elective office may not use this form.
When to File Form 425
Semi-Annual Statements All general-purpose committees file a semi-annual statement for each half of the year. For the period January 1 through June 30, a semi-annual statement is due by July 31. For the period July 1 through December 31, a semi-annual statement is due by January 31 of the following year.
Where to File Form 425
The type and jurisdiction of the committee must be determined. The type of committee is based on the nature and amount of its activity (i.e., contributions and expenditures), while jurisdiction is based on the location and focus of that activity. If a committee’s activity is not focused on one city or county race, it will be required to file as a state committee to provide disclosure to a broader sphere of voters.
Please see the Fair Political Practices for more information on filing requirements.
https://fppc.ca.gov/content/fppc-v2/fppc-www/learn/campaign-rules/where-and-when-to-file-campaign-statements/where-to-file-campaign-statements-forms-460-and-461.html
NOTE: Candidate-controlled committees formed for an elective office may not use this form.
Form 497
Form 497
Who Uses Form 497
• Candidates and certain committees that make or receive contributions that total in the aggregate $1,000 or more in the 90 days before or on the date of an election.
• State candidates and state-primarily formed ballot measure committees that file electronically and receive a contribution of $5,000 or more at any time other than a 90-day election cycle.
• State recipient committees that file electronically and make contributions totaling $5,000 or more to a state ballot measure committee.
• Certain recipient committees that make contributions totaling $5,000 or more to support or oppose the qualification of a local ballot measure.
When to File Form 497
State Committees - Where to File
Except as noted below, state committees file Form 497 electronically with the Secretary of State. This applies even to committees that have not reached the $25,000 threshold for filing other reports electronically. No paper copies of this report are required, and no copies are required to be filed with other filing officers.
*For contributions related to the qualification of local measures, Form 497 must be filed in the place(s) a primarily formed committee for the local measure is required to file. This Form 497 must be filed by fax, guaranteed overnight delivery, personal delivery, or
email. Some jurisdictions require electronic submissions. Check with the local election office.
Where to File Form 497
State Candidates/Committees
File with the Secretary of State's office. All Form 497s are filed electronically even if the $25,000 electronic filing threshold has not been met.
Local Office/Committees
Registrar of Voters. Paper or Electronically (check with your County)
Multi-County Candidates/Committees: Those candidates/officeholders who have a controlled committee for an elected office that has jurisdiction over multiple counties.
Multi-County State Candidates
File with the Secretary of State's office. All Form 497s are filed electronically even if the $25,000 electronic filing threshold has not been met.
Multi-County Local Office
Registrar of Voters. Paper or Electronically (check with your County)
Form 461
Form 461
Who Files Form 461
Major Donors
• An individual or entity that makes monetary or nonmonetary contributions (including loans) to state or local officeholders, candidates, and committees totaling $10,000 or more in a calendar year.
“Contribution” includes direct monetary contributions (e.g., purchasing tickets to campaign fundraisers), loan guarantees and loan forgiveness, nonmonetary contributions of goods or services, and discounts not provided to the public generally.
When to File Form 461
Semi-Annual Statements: All Committees
January 1 – June 30: Due July 31
If an entity qualifies as a committee during the first six months of the year, Form 461 is due no later than July 31, covering the period January 1 through June 30. If no additional contributions or independent expenditures are made during the second semi-annual period, July 1 through December 31, no other Form 461 is required during the calendar year.
July 1 – December 31: Due January 31
If an entity qualifies as a committee during the first six months of the year and any amount of contributions are made after June 30, a Form 461 covering the period July 1 through December 31 is required. If an entity or individual qualifies as a committee during the second six months of the year, its Form 461 will be due no later than January 31, covering the period January 1 through December 31 of the prior year.
Note: Please visit www.fppca.ca.gov, for more detailed information on Odd Year (State
Filers) Reporting requirements not listed above.
Where to File Form 461
State Committees
A state committee is one that makes at least one contribution or independent expenditure to a state candidate, measure, or other state committee (e.g. political party). A state major donor and independent expenditure committee files an original and a copy in paper format with the Secretary of State. A committee must also file an online report if the committee makes contributions or independent expenditures totaling $25,000 or more in a calendar year.
Secretary of State
Political Reform Division
1500 11th Street, Room 495
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone (916) 653-6224
Fax (916) 653-5045
www.sos.ca.gov
Local Committees
If a committee makes more than 70% of its contributions and independent expenditures on county candidates and measures and other county committees, file this form with the county elections official. An original and one paper copy is required.
NOTE: If a committee makes more than 70% of its contributions and independent expenditures on city candidates and measures and other city committees, file this form with the city clerk. An original and one paper copy is required. Note: FPPC Regulation 18227.5 sets out the criteria for determining if a committee is state, county, or city. The regulation provides that a committee may qualify as a state committee if it does not qualify as a city or county committee and allows, under certain circumstances, that a local committee may retain city or county status even if a contribution is made to a state committee.
Electronic Filing: State Committees Major donor and independent expenditure committees that are required to file reports with the Secretary of State must file Form 461 electronically if they make contributions or independent expenditures totaling $25,000 or more in a calendar year. Paper reports are also required.
Local Committees: Some local jurisdictions also require reports to be electronically filed.