Handbook
Filing Calendar
Contribution Limits
Treasurer/Candidate Duties
Register
- With NYSBOE and appropriate county/city board(s) of elections
In order to register with the applicable board(s) of elections, appropriate forms must be filed by: (1) a treasurer of a political committee; or (2) a candidate with a registered authorized committee that will be disclosing all of the financial activity of the candidate’s campaign including all of the financial activity of the candidate; or (3) a candidate who does not have a registered authorized committee that will be disclosing all of the financial activity of the candidate’s campaign, including the financial activity of the candidate; or (4) a candidate who has a registered authorized committee, but chooses to have financial activity for the campaign that will not be disclosed by the authorized committee.
Keep
Detailed, Bound Accounts
The treasurer of every political committee, as well as every candidate who receives or expends any money or any valuable thing or incurs any liability to pay money or its equivalent, shall keep and retain detailed, bound accounts of all receipts, transfers, loans, liabilities, contributions and expenditures, made by the committee or any of its officers, members, or agents acting under its authority or in its behalf, or the candidate, as applicable. (EL 14-118.)
Receipts Requirement
All expenditures over $10 must be vouched for by a receipted bill stating the particulars of the expense. (EL 14-122(2).)
Evidence of Indebtedness/Forgiveness
Any campaign financial disclosure report indicating a loan shall have attached to it a copy of the evidence of indebtedness. (EL 14-102.) If filing electronically, the evidence of indebtedness should be filed under separate cover. Evidence of indebtedness is the loan document.
If any loan or outstanding liability is forgiven, then the report indicating such forgiveness must also include a copy of the evidence of forgiveness. If filing electronically, the evidence of forgiveness should be filed under separate cover. Evidence of forgiveness is a document that shows that the obligation has been forgiven.
Any loan or liability that is forgiven is subject to applicable contribution limits.
Limits on Cash
There are limits on the amount of cash that candidates and political committees/treasurers can receive and expend. No candidate, political committee or agent thereof may receive from any one person an aggregate amount greater than $100 in cash. Disbursements/expenditures in excess of $100 may NOT be in cash. (EL 14-118(2).)
Financial Activity–Deposits
All cash, checks, drafts or other instruments shall be deposited in the account of the candidate or committee in the designated depository. (EL 14-118 (2).)
File
The filer, who may either be the treasurer or candidate, is legally responsible for filing all required campaign financial disclosure reports. (EL 14-118(1), (3).) Filers filing with NYSBOE must file electronically, using NYSBOE’s Electronic Filing System (EFS) Software. (EL 14-102(4).)
Local filers should contact the appropriate county or city board(s) of elections for information on how to submit reports locally, if applicable.
Resign/Terminate
Request treasurer resignation/filer termination from appropriate board(s). Complete filing obligations until request is granted. Treasurers filing treasurer resignation reports or treasurers or candidates filing termination reports with NYSBOE must also file a paper Termination or Resignation Request Form/No-Activity Report Form (CF-18) with an original signature, making sure to check the box(es) applicable to the request. (See the "Resigning as Treasurer" and "Terminating Filing Obligations" sections in the Campaign Finance Handbook for details).
Maintain Records
In accordance with NYS Election Law, every political committee shall have a treasurer and depository (bank), and shall cause the treasurer (active and/or resigned) to keep detailed, bound accounts of all receipts, transfers, loans, liabilities, contributions and expenditures made by the committee or any of its officers, members or agents, acting under its authority or on its behalf, for a period of five years from the date of the filing of the final campaign financial disclosure report with respect to the election or convention to which they pertain. These requirements regarding records retention also apply to candidates. (EL 14-118.)