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Frequently Asked Questions about the 2020 Elections

 1. What are the contribution limits in Texas?

 2. Do I still need to file a campaign treasurer appointment if I am not planning on accepting political contributions or making political expenditures?

 3. Who is eligible to be a campaign treasurer? Can I appoint myself?

 4. Where do I file my campaign treasurer appointment?

 5. What must I do if I need to correct or amend my treasurer appointment?

 6. Where do I file my campaign finance reports?

 7. Do I still need to file a campaign finance report for a period in which I do not have activity?

 8. When are my reports due?

 9. What must I do if I need to correct my campaign finance report?

 10. Do I have to open a campaign bank account?

 11. Can businesses and labor organizations make political contributions?

 12. Do I need to file a report after the election is over?

 13. What can I do with my political contributions, including leftover political contributions after my campaign is over?

1. What are the contribution limits in Texas?

Unless you are contributing to a judge, judicial candidate, or specific-purpose political committee supporting or opposing a judge or judicial candidate, there are no contribution limits under state law. You can find information about the judicial contribution and expenditure limits in the Judicial Campaign Finance Guide. You should check with your local filing authority (city, county, school district, or other type of political subdivision) to find out whether there are any local restrictions.

2. Do I still need to file a campaign treasurer appointment if I am not planning on accepting political contributions or making political expenditures?

Yes, as long as you are a candidate, you must have a treasurer appointment on file. See Forms/Instructions▸Treasurer Appointment Forms tab at the top of this page for detailed steps on how to file your treasurer appointment form.

3. Who is eligible to be a campaign treasurer? Can I appoint myself?

Generally, a person is ineligible for appointment as a campaign treasurer if the person is the campaign treasurer of a political committee that does not file a report required by Chapter 254. See Elec. Code § 252.0011. Otherwise, you can appoint any person, including yourself, as campaign treasurer.

4. Where do I file my campaign treasurer appointment?

Where you file your treasurer appointment depends on whether you are running for a “local” office or one that is required to file with the Texas Ethics Commission.

If you are a local candidate, you will file your treasurer appointment and your required reports with your local filing authority. Local offices may include:

The filing authority for a local candidate or officeholder depends on the nature of the office sought or held:

If you are a statewide candidate or statewide political committee, you will file your treasurer appointment and your required reports with the Texas Ethics Commission. Statewide offices and other offices that file with the Texas Ethics Commission include:

See Elec. Code §§ 252.005, .006, .007, and/or .009.

5. What must I do if I need to correct or amend my treasurer appointment?

If any of the information required to be reported on your Campaign Treasurer Appointment (TA) changes, you should file an amended TA.

You must use the appropriate TA AMENDMENT FORM to report the changes. To find your appropriate amendment TA form, see the Forms/Instructions▸Treasurer Appointment Forms tab at the top of this page. You will need to select your proper filer type and then use the AMENDMENT form, not the original APPOINTMENT form.

6. Where do I file my campaign finance reports?

Campaign finance reports are filed with the filing authority with whom a person’s campaign treasurer appointment is required to be filed. See question 4, above.

7. Do I still need to file a campaign finance report for a period in which I do not have activity?

Generally yes, unless you are a local officeholder who has filed a final report and has had less than $500 in political activity. You can find more information in the Campaign Finance Guide and Local Campaign Finance Guide.

8. When are my reports due?

Please refer to the Filing Schedules.

9. What must I do if I need to correct my campaign finance report?

You may correct your campaign finance report filed with the Texas Ethics Commission or a local filing authority at any time. If you are required to file reports electronically with the Ethics Commission, then reports can be corrected through the software by selecting the option to "Correct a Filed Report." If you qualify to file reports on paper with the Ethics Commission, then you will need to submit a correction affidavit for your report type, an affidavit for electronic filing exemption for your filer type, and the pages of the report that are being corrected. If you are required to file reports with a local filing authority, you will need to submit a correction affidavit and the pages of the report that are being corrected. Depending on the type of report that is being corrected, you should use the appropriate correction affidavit form specific to your filer type found under the Forms/Instructions tab at the top of this page.

10. Do I have to open a campaign bank account?

Texas law requires political contributions to be kept in one or more bank accounts that are separate from any other bank account maintained by an individual. Please note, the Texas Ethics Commission does not interpret or enforce any law governing the name on a bank account or electronic identification numbers.

11. Can businesses and labor organizations make political contributions?

Corporations (including nonprofit corporations) and labor organizations may not make political contributions in connection with Texas and local elections.  In addition, the following associations, whether incorporated or not, are considered to be corporations for purposes of the restriction on corporate political contributions: banks, trust companies, savings and loan associations or companies, insurance companies, reciprocal or inter-insurance exchanges, railroad companies, cemetery companies, government-regulated cooperatives, stock companies, and abstract and title insurance companies. 

A corporation may, however, establish and administer its own political committee.

A professional corporation or professional association is not considered a “corporation” for purposes of the restrictions on corporate political contributions, and may make political contributions subject to the above restrictions.  See Ethics Commission Rules § 20.1(4).

A limited liability company (LLC), partnership, limited partnership, or any other form of business entity, may not make a political contribution in connection with Texas and local elections if the entity has any corporate ownership.  Otherwise, it is permitted to make political contributions.

12. Do I need to file a report after the election is over?

After an election is over, you may file a final report at any time. A final report terminates your campaign treasurer appointment. Please note, you may not make any political expenditures or accept political contributions if your campaign treasurer appointment has been terminated. If you have leftover campaign funds after the election, you should dispose of them before filing a final report. Otherwise, you will have to file annual reports of unexpended contributions. If you do not file a final report, you must file regular semiannual reports until you file a final report. For more information, please refer to the Campaign Finance Guide and Local Campaign Finance Guide. Also see Ending Your Campaign or Dissolving a PAC.

13. What can I do with my political contributions, including leftover political contributions after my campaign is over?

Please see Personal Use of Political Contributions and the Campaign Finance Guide and Local Campaign Finance Guide. Also see Ending Your Campaign or Dissolving a PAC.