The Mechanics of State Board Meetings on Campaign Finance

ElectaFile Short Summary: Like everything else, there’s a process for what happens after filing deadlines…Allow us to explain…

Good morning, campaign finance fans! We’ve got a lull in the campaign reporting action so we’re going to write about what we think you all may encounter vis a vis reporting between now and the October 29, 2024 3Q Plus Reporting deadline.

We’ll frame this post as a series of blinking yellow lights that could pop on your radar:

1. The first yellow light you might see is a note from the State Board if you didn’t actually file a report. In that case, as we know, fines are incurred daily up to certain maximums. Go ahead and file the missing report.

2. The second yellow light might be a note from a campaign finance professional calling your attention to some clear and obvious error in your report. An example is an unsigned cover sheet—or a cover sheet signed by someone other than the treasurer—that the State Board professional indicates will be treated as something called a miscellaneous document that needs to be corrected. Our sense is that these sort of informal notes can be a great gift to allow you to nip a problem in the bud.

3. Next. Let’s say you paper filed. The State Board is regularly enforcing more and more the electronic filing requirement for committees of certain sizes and types. If in their review, they believe your committee should have e-filed, you’ll likely get an email directing you to electronically file a report you previously filed on paper.

4. Finally, you invariably will—from time to time—get a notice from the State Board pros that your committee is being audited. We’ve written in more detail here about how to react to news of audit. For today’s purposes, just remember the first rule: don’t panic!

Good luck and let us know when we can help you. Check out our new keyless data entry feature today. ElectaFile.com 

What is ElectaFile.com? ElectaFile offers easy and affordable electronic "click to file" services with the NC State Board and County Boards. ElectaFile is web-based and accessible from Macs and PCs with an internet connection. You only pay a small fee if you file using ElectaFile. If you need a free consultation on your situation, please let us know. If ElectaFile can help, it will. We are not your treasurer or your lawyer. If you need a professional treasurer or an attorney, ElectaFile regularly refers folks to professionals on all sides of the aisle.