I’m a single candidate not raising or spending any money (including my own personal funds) in my election. Do I really need to file something with ELEC?

Yes. You must file Form A-1. The only exception would be school board candidates not raising or spending any money in an election. For school board candidates‚ Form A-1 is not required.

I am a single candidate spending under $5800 in an election. What do I need to file?

You are required to file Forms A-1 and D-1 electronically. Form A-1 is due on the 29-day Preelection Reporting Date. Form D-1 is due within 10 days of receiving your first contribution or making your first expenditure. If you receive any contributions over $200 in the aggregate (including from yourself)‚ or cash in any amount‚ you will also file Form C-1. Reporting dates can be found here. You may also be required to file 72- and 24-hour notices depending on your contributions/expenditures within 13 days of your election date. For more information on these notices please click here.

I am a single candidate spending over $5800 in an election. What do I need to file?

You are required to file Form D-1‚ which is due within 10 days of receiving your first contribution or making your first expenditure. Additionally‚ you are required to file Form R-1 through our EFILE Web Based Reporting System. You may also be required to file 72- and 24-hour notices depending on your contributions/expenditures within 13 days of your election date. For more information on these notices please click here.

Who needs to certify the Form R-1?

The treasurer AND candidate(s) must ALL certify every Form R-1 report before it is filed. Please select the Quick Links drop down and add the “users/signers”.

Do I have to file anything if the political party committee is taking care of everything?

Candidates have filing requirements and must comply with the Act and Regulations. Please see the compliance manual for candidates or contact our office for more information.

I already filed the A-1 and D-1 for the primary election. Do I need to file something again for the general?

Yes‚ you need to file reports for each election that you are in. The primary and general are separate elections and require separate filings for each.

I am self-funding my campaign. Do I need to file anything?

Yes. You can contribute an unlimited amount to your own committee‚ but any contributions received‚ or expenditures made‚ need to be done through a Campaign Depository and the Form D-1 must be filed. Please see our Compliance Manual for Candidates for more information regarding filing as a single candidate.

When are reports due?

Reports are due by the 29-day preelection reporting date for each election. The reporting dates can be found on our website under the candidate’s section. (The bank account Form D-1/D-2 is filed within 10 days of receiving the first contribution‚ making the first expenditure or opening the bank account.) Please see the Guide to Forms chart in the back of the compliance manual for candidates regarding the types of campaigns and forms that may need to be filed.

Can I be my own treasurer?

Yes. If you are running for legislative office‚ be sure to obtain your treasurer training certificate.

I have a treasurer so I don’t know what is happening with my campaign.

Appointment of a campaign treasurer does not constitute a delegation of a candidate’s legal responsibility to comply with the Act and Regulations.

Do I need a chairperson for my campaign?

No.

How do I get my name to appear on the forms?

You must obtain a registration and PIN to certify reports. It is your electronic signature. Anyone who must certify/sign a report needs to obtain a registration and PIN. Please see step one of the Candidates section of our website.

I had a registration and PIN when I ran before. Can I use it again even though I’m running for a different office?

Yes. A registration and PIN are your electronic signature. It is not specific to any office or position within a campaign. It is just your name. If you have forgotten it or lost it‚ please contact our office or go to https://njelecregister.com/ for assistance.

The bank asked me for an EIN. Where do I get that and what type of account should it be?

Due to financial regulations‚ banks may require a Tax ID Number‚ Employer Identification Number or EIN. This is not an ELEC requirement. An EIN is obtained by contacting the IRS. Some banks also require you to show proof of political purpose. For this‚ if a copy of the certified nominating petition is unavailable or insufficient‚ the bank may accept a filed copy of the Form D-1 or D-2. You may need to file the Form D-1 or D-2 without the bank account information and amend the form once the account is opened.

I am going to put out lawn signs and hand out flyers. Do I need to have any special wording on them?

All candidates and committees subject to the Act are required to label all political communications with a political identification statement (“paid for by” language). The “paid for by” language must contain the name and business or residence address of the committee‚ person‚ or group‚ and clearly state that the committee‚ person or group financed or “paid for” the communication. Example: “PAID FOR BY SAMPLE FOR COUNCIL‚ 1234 MAIN STREET‚ ANYTOWN‚ NJ 11111”

I am getting head shots for my campaign. Can I buy a new outfit for the photo shoot with campaign funds?

No. Please see our manual concerning permissible uses of campaign funds. Clothing is considered personal use and is not permitted.

The election is over and I have money in the account still. What can I do with it?

The election cycle reporting concludes when all funds have been expended within the permissible uses found in our Compliance Manual for Candidates. You will need to continue filing reports until you have a zero balance and have closed the account.

I withdrew from the election but I still received a letter from ELEC concerning filing requirements.

If we have received your name as a candidate from the clerk’s office‚ you must file with our agency. Please see our Guide to Forms chart in the back of the Compliance Manual for Candidates for further information regarding the types of forms that may need to be filed.