ELECTIONS - St. Clair County, Michigan
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CAMPAIGN FINANCE (CF) REPORTING

Disclaimer:  This page is provided as a convenience.  It is the committee's responsibility to ensure the content is accurate and correct.  

Organizing a Committee - Steps

1.  Determine your Filing Official (where to file statements/reports):

Candidate Committees:  

  • St. Clair County Clerk's office:  County, city, township, village, school boards, college trustee offices
  • All other candidates file with the State Bureau of Elections.
  • Precinct Delegate candidates do not file campaign finance reports

Ballot Question Committees:

  • St Clair County Clerk's office:  Ballot issues that are only voted on at the local level.
  • Bureau of Elections:  Ballot issues that are voted on at the Statewide level.

Political Action Committees:

  • St Clair County Clerk's office:  Committees whose activity is restricted to local candidates and issues within one county.
  • Bureau of Elections:  Committees whose activity is related to state level candidates and issues or local candidates and issues spanning multiple counties.

2.  File your Statement of Organization (see link below under "Links") 

3.  Review the following documents:

Candidate Committees:

  • Training Slide Presentation - Provides a great general knowledge for CFR requirements
  • Candidate Manual - Candidate/Treasurer's responsibility to review this information in its entirety.  It provides everything you need to file.   
  • Filing Forms -  These forms are used to file Pre-Election, Post-Election, Annuals, Dissolution, Quarterly and amended campaign statements on paper.
  • Candidate Committee page on State's CFR site (State manuals, forms, filing dates/deadlines, etc.)

Ballot Committees:

Independent and Political Committees Information/Links

4. Campaign Statements:  A committee discloses it's campaign finance activity on campaign statements.  A campaign statement consists of a cover page, summary page, and a series of schedules that itemize the committee's contributioins, other receipts, expenditures and debts.  See (3) above for fillable forms necessary for the appropriate committee type.

5.  The Reporting Waiver:  This exempts committees who do not anticipate spending/receiving over $1,000.00 per election from filing campaign statements.

Basic Information on YES Reporting Waiver Committees (plan to receive/spend less than $1,000) 

  • The "Yes" box of the Statement of Organization must be checked to honor waiver.
  • Committee is exempt from filing statements if under $1,000.  All other campaign finance provisions apply.
  • Once a committee spends/receives over $1,000.00, the reporting waiver is lost, and the next campaign statement is required.
  • ALL committees, however, must comply with Late contribution reporting requirements

         Basic Information on NO Reporting Waiver Committees (plan to receive/spend OVER $1,000) 

  • Know your filing deadlines (see links at bottom under "Links")
  • Review the Candidate's 2023/2024 Filing Dates page; committees without a Reporting Waiver must file detailed Campaign Statements regardless of their activity
    • Complete/File Candidate Committee forms.  
      • Candidates SEEKING office this year:  Must file PRE and POST-Election statements and an Annual statement. 
      • Candidate Committees in off-years must file a July, October and Annual Statement.
      • Must also comply with Late contribution reporting requirements.
      • If elected, must file a Compliance Affidavit with Filing Official
    • PACs
      • Must submit Annual Campaign Statements
      • Pre-election and/or Post-election Campaign Statements for elections where the committee spends money to influence voters.
    • Ballot Question Committees
      • Annual campaign Statements
      • Campaign Statements in April and July of every year, and October Quarterly Campaign Statements in odd years only.
      • Pre-Election and Post-Election Campaign Statements for elections where the committee spends money to influence voters.

6.  Dissolving Committees - Must have a $0 balance (see Appendix W for disposition of unexpended funds).  All debts must be paid or forgiven.  Committee must have no outstanding filings or fees owing.

  • A Committee is Eligible for Dissolution When:

    • The incumbent officeholder vacates office or is constitutionally or legally barred from seeking reelection,*
    • The committee has disclosed the disbursement of all unexpended funds and assets,
    • The committee has disclosed the payment or forgiveness of all debts,
    • The committee has paid all late filing fees in full,
    • The committee has filed all outstanding campaign statements, and
    • The committee has answered all outstanding Notice(s) of Error or Omission.
      • (*)An officeholder cannot dissolve his or her Candidate Committee until his or her term of office expires. An exception to this provision exists for officeholders who are not qualified to seek reelection.
  • YES Reporting Waiver Committees:  Dissolution form (YES committees only)
  • NO Reporting Waiver Committees:  Committees that have not maintained a Reporting Waiver may request dissolution with their filing official by filing either a 1.) Dissolution Campaign Statement or 2.) another required campaign statement that includes a dissolution date of the committee on the cover page. Committees that are required to file campaign statements electronically must file their dissolution request campaign statement electronically. The committee must dissolve on or before the closing date of the campaign statement. A Dissolution Campaign Statement must open on the day after the closing date of the last campaign statement filed by the committee and close on the date of the committee’s dissolution.

Unregistered Groups and Individuals

1.  Campaign Finance rules for individuals who want to participate in Michigan elections.

2.  Read about how to report expenditures over $100 in a calendar year by individuals, groups or organizations (see page 2, first).

Links

- Campaign Finance - link to Michigan's campaign finance disclosure page
- Statement of Organization Form for Local Candidate Committees;  Statement of Organization Form for Local Ballot Question Committees
- Candidate's Manual
- Filing dates and  State and Local Deadlines
- Complaint form - Any campaign finance complaints are filed with the STATE not the county

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St. Clair County Clerk - Elections Division
201 McMorran Boulevard, Port Huron, Michigan MI 48060
Phone: 810-985-2159  • Fax:  810-985-2241
Email: SCC Elections