PDC Logo - Homepage link

 
 
 
Search the Public Disclosure Commission Website
HOMEPUBLIC RESOURCESFILER RESOURCESSEARCH THE DATABASEVIEW ACTUAL REPORTS
  
Resources




Starting Off on the Right Foot  Get answers to Questions Frequently Asked by Political Committees. (PDF)
 


IN-STATEOUT-OF-STATE

Out-of-State Political Committees

A political committee is considered "out-of-state" if it maintains its office or headquarters in another state or the District of Columbia. If there is no office or headquarters, then the political committee is considered "out-of-state" if its treasurer resides in another state or the District of Columbia.

Whether a committee must register and file contribution and expenditure reports or instead report select information on an Out-Of-State Political Committee report (form C5) is determined by the committee's recent status and how much money the committee spends in Washington compared to what it spends overall on political compaigns in the calendar year. See WAC 390-16-049

Contribution Limits
Information about contributions limits for candidates.

Political Advertising Requirements - 2009 - PDF (56 KB)
Information about political advertising for your campaign.

Treasurer
Helpful hints for committee treasurers.

Records
Helpful hints for record keeping. 

For assistance call toll free at:
1-877-601-2828.

 
Are You Required To File A C5 Report or Register and Report as an In-State Committee?

Does your committee maintains its office or headquarters in a state other than Washington or the District of Columbia;
OR
There is no committee office or headquarters, but the treasurer resides in another state or the District of Columbia.
 		  NO > Do not file a C5 Report 
YES
v

Was the committee organized for the purpose of supporting or opposing candidates or ballot propositions in a State other than Washington?
 		  NO > Do not file a C5 Report

(A Committee with a primary purpose of supporting Washington Candidates and/or ballot propositions must register and report as an In-State committee.)
YES
v

Has the committee made contributions or expenditures of $50 or more to or on behalf of a state, local or judicial candidate or political committee in Washington state?
  		  NO > Do not file a C5 Report 
YES
v

Is the committee currently registered and actively filing campaign disclosure reports in one or more other states and has been so filing for the preceding two years?
  		  NO > Register and Report as an In-State Committee. 
YES
v

Is the total spent on Washington candidates ballot measures, and political committees less than 20% of the committees aggregate expenditures for all political campaign activity nationwide in the calendar year?
  		  NO > Register and Report as an In-State Committee. 
YES
v

You must file a C5 on the 10th of the month after making a contribution. Out-of-state and federal committees must file a report showing each contribution made including any contribution(s) the committee received during the calendar year exceeding $2,600 in the aggregate, the Washington residents and corporations headquartered or operating a primary place of business in Washington that have given a total of $25 or more during the current calendar year to the committee, and the committee officers. Failure to file the report may result in Commission enforcement action. No prior registration with PDC is required.

ALSO
An out-of-state political committee should report electioneering communication expenditures on the C6 Independent Expenditures and Electioneering Communications report in addition to the C5 report.
  





HOME  /  PRIVACY NOTICE  /  EMPLOYMENT  /  SITE MAP
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE COMMISSION  /  711 CAPITOL WAY #206  /  PO BOX 40908  /  OLYMPIA, WA 98504-0908
TOLL FREE - 1-877-601-2828  /  PHONE 360-753-1111  /  FAX (360)753-1112  /  EMAIL pdc@pdc.wa.gov
OFFICE HOURS:8:00AM - 5:00PM Monday - Friday-Closed Weekends & State Holidays.
Access Washington