Basic Campaign Filing Guidelines for Candidates

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Please review the full instruction for each form and applicable state regulation on the FPPC website (www.fppc.ca.gov).

Form 501 – Candidate Intention Statement
Who: All Candidates
When: Before raising or spending any money, including personal funds.
With: Local Filing Officer
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Form 410 – Statement of Organization Form 470 – Campaign Statement Short Form
Who: Candidates and organizations who raise $2,000 or more. Who: Candidates who do not plan to raise or spend $2,000 or more for their campaign, and do not have an open committee.
When: Anytime, but required to be filed within 10 days of reaching $2,000 in contributions (or within 24 hours if $2,000 level is reached in final 16 days before Election Day) When: Any time, but no later than the date the first pre-election statement is due. Statement covers entire calendar year.
With: Original & copy to Secretary of State, one copy to Local Filing Officer With: Local Filing Office
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Form 460 – Consolidated Campaign Disclosure Form Form 470 – Officeholder/Candidate Campaign Statement-Short Form
Who: All campaign committees formed via filing of a Form 410. Who: Candidates who filed form 470 but subsequently raised or spent $2,000 or more for their campaign.
When: Two pre-election statements due before election, and semi-annual statements thereafter until committee is terminated.
  • Exception for officeholders earning under $200/yr. from the office and having inactive committees. (Govt. Code Sec. 84200)
  • If 410 filed before December 31, 2015, then 460 due February 1, 2016.
 When: Within 48 hours of raising or spending $2,000.
With: Original & one copy to Local Filing Officer With: Secretary of State, Local Filing Officer, every other candidate seeking the same office

After the Election

After the election, a successful candidate has the option of maintaining his/her committee and campaign bank account, or terminating the campaign committee and closing the bank account. An officeholder who maintains a committee may:

  • Continue to receive contributions;
  • Use campaign funds to offset officeholder expenses; or
  • Hold funds for use in a future election.

To redesignate a committee, (see the FPPC Manual for information on re-designating a committee)

An officeholder who wishes to terminate a committee must both a Form 410 and Form 460

Form 410
Who: Committees formed via Form 410. Committee must have a “zero balance.”
When: At the discretion of the treasurer. Committees do not expire.
With: Original and copy to Secretary of State, copy to Local Filing Officer.
Form 460
Who: Committees formed via Form 410. Committee must have a “zero balance.”
When: At the discretion of the treasurer. Committees do not expire.
With: Original and copy to Local Filing Officer