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Starting Your Campaign

For COH/JCOH/SCC Filers

Starting Your Campaign

Supporting Documentation:

Checklist for Starting Your Campaign

Local Filers

  1. File a campaign treasurer appointment with your local filing authority before you file an application for a place on the ballot, announce your intent to run for public office, or solicit or accept contributions or make expenditures.
  2. If you plan to accept contributions, open a separate bank account that is separate from any other bank account you maintain.
  3. Begin campaigning for elective office and obtain a place on the ballot. (Contact the Texas Secretary of State or your local elections official for information on ballot access.)
  4. Check the filing deadlines and timely file all required campaign finance reports, which may include:
    1. Semiannual reports due on January 15 of each year;
    2. Semiannual reports due on July 15 of each year;
    3. 30-day pre-election reports;
    4. 8-day pre-election reports; and
    5. Runoff reports.
  5. Continue filing reports until you file a final report when you expect to have no reportable activity connected with your candidacy. (See Checklist for Ending my Campaign.)

TEC Filers

  1. File a campaign treasurer appointment with the TEC to obtain your Filer I.D. Number before you file an application for a place on the ballot, announce your intent to run for public office, or solicit or accept contributions or make expenditures.
  2. Email, fax, mail, or hand-deliver a Form Security to the TEC to obtain a password to access the electronic filing application.
  3. If you plan to accept contributions, open a separate bank account that is separate from any other bank account you maintain.
  4. Begin campaigning for elective office and obtain a place on the ballot. (Contact the Texas Secretary of State for information on ballot access.)
  5. Check the filing deadlines and timely file all required campaign finance reports, which may include:
    1. Semiannual reports due on January 15 of each year;
    2. Semiannual reports due on July 15 of each year;
    3. 30-day pre-election reports;
    4. 8-day pre-election reports; and
    5. Runoff reports.
    6. Daily reports; and
    7. Special Session reports.
  6. Continue filing reports until you file a final report when you expect to have no reportable activity connected with your candidacy. (See Checklist for Ending my Campaign.)

Ending Your Campaign

For COH/JCOH/SCC Filers

Checklist for Ending Your Campaign

Local Filers

  1. Determine whether you will have any further reportable activity in your campaign.
  2. Designate the report covering the last reporting period you need to file as your final report if you expect no additional reportable activity in connection with your candidacy. Your final report:
    1. Relieves you of the duty to file additional reports that are required of a candidate; and
    2. Terminates your campaign treasurer appointment.
  3. Determine whether you have unexpended contributions (leftover funds or assets) when you file your final report. If you have no unexpended contributions, you have ended your candidacy by filing the final report and you do not need to take any further action with your local filing authority.
  4. File annual reports of unexpended contributions if you have leftover funds or assets.
  5. Dispose of unexpended contributions in a specified manner within six years of filing your final report. ( See Campaign Finance Guide for Candidates and Officeholders Who File with Local Filing Authorities .)

TEC Filers

  1. Determine whether you will have any further reportable activity in your campaign.
  2. Designate the report covering the last reporting period you need to file as your final report if you expect no additional reportable activity in connection with your candidacy. Your final report:
    1. Relieves you of the duty to file additional reports that are required of a candidate; and
    2. Terminates your campaign treasurer appointment.
  3. Determine whether you have unexpended contributions (leftover funds or assets) when you file your final report. If you have no unexpended contributions, you have ended your candidacy by filing the final report and you do not need to take any further action with the TEC.
  4. File annual reports of unexpended contributions if you have leftover funds or assets.
  5. Dispose of unexpended contributions in a specified manner within six years of filing your final report, whichever is later. (See Campaign Finance Guide for Candidates and Officeholders Who File with the Texas Ethics Commission.)