Notice_2-11-2019February 11, 2019
Dear Committee Officer,
Board of Elections
316 East Windsor St.
Suite B
Monroe, NC 28112
T. 704-283-3809
www.unioncountync.gov/elections
As we conclude another busy election cycle, please take a moment to determine the current and
future status of your political committee. Committees have several options — these options
impact your committee's ongoing obligation to complete and file disclosure reports during the
2020 election cycle.
Committee Closes
Committees that do not wish to continue fundraising or malting expenditures may choose to
close their committee. The committee must make sure that:
1. All funds are expended and reported, and the committee bank account must be at a zero
balance.
2. All debts and obligations are satisfied.
3. All outstanding loans are repaid or forgiven.
4. A Final Report is filed that discloses any contributions and expenditures made or
received since the end date of the committee's last filed disclosure report.
5. A Certification to Close form (CRO -3400) is filed with the Final Report.
NOTE: For Candidate Committees only, please remember that all funds remaining in the
committee account must be spent in accordance with N.C.G.S. § 163A-1433 (also cited as
N.C.G.S. § 163-278.16B).
Once a committee is closed, in order to return to active status, the committee must submit a new
organizational report including a new Statement of Organization, Certification of Treasurer,
Certification of Financial Accounts, and Organizational Disclosure Report.
Committee Remains Active
Committees that will continue to raise and spend money must remain in an active status. No
forms are required; you will automatically receive a notice of report due for the 2019 Mid -Year
Semi Annual Report, due no later than July 26, 2019.
Relevant Statute: N.C.G.S. §163A-1418 (also cited as N.C.G.S. §163-278.9).
Committee Becomes Inactive
A committee that has funds remaining in their bank account and has plans to resume fundraising
and spending in the future may choose to change its status to inactive. Unlike a committee that
chooses to close, an inactive committee can retain funds in the committee bank account during
the period of inactivity. During the period a committee is inactive, it is not eligible to receive
contributions or make expenditures. Also, it is not required to file disclosure reports until
activity resumes.
NOTE: The Certification of Inactive Status form (CRO -3200) must be filed with a Disclosure
report. You may file a form CRO -3200 with the 2019 Mid Year Semi Annual Report, which
may be submitted no earlier than June 30, 2019, and is due no later than July 26, 2019.
Once a committee becomes inactive, in order to return to active status, the committee must
submit a Certification to Return to Active form (CRO -3300). The committee cannot accept any
contributions or make any expenditures until this form is received by the appropriate Board of
Elections office.
Relevant Statute: N.C.G.S. § 163A-1420 (also cited as N.C.G.S. § 163-278.10).
Committee Files Under Threshold
The threshold status is ONLY available to Political Party Committee and County/Municipal
Candidate Committees.
If a Political Party Committee or County/Municipal Candidate Committee does not intend to
raise over $1,000 or spend over $1,000 for the 2020 Election Cycle, it may complete and file a
Certification of Threshold form (CRO -3600). By completing this form, the committee is exempt
from filing disclosure reports for this election cycle, which started on January 1, 2019 and ends
on December 31, 2020.
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Please be aware of the following key points and requirements:
• This form must be filed no later than February 19, 2019.
• Threshold status does not carry over from one Election Cycle to the next.
• All Committees that do not file a Certification of Threshold will be considered active and
will be required to file all regularly scheduled reports.
• The committee must keep internal records of ALL contributions and expenditures. This
information should be in a format that is readily available to Board of Elections staff
upon request. Failure to maintain these records could result in the forfeiture of
contributions.
NOTE: Any committee that had threshold status during the 2018 Election Cycle must submit a
new form for this 2019 Election Cycle.
If the committee files a Certification of Threshold form and later exceeds $1,000 in receipts or
expenditures during the election cycle, the committee must immediately notify the appropriate
Board of Elections by filing the Certification of Threshold and marking the section for
withdrawing from the threshold status. It would then file the next scheduled Disclosure report.
NOTE: This report must contain all committee receipts and expenditures from the beginning of
the election cycle.
Relevant Statute: N.C.G.S. §163A-1421 (also cited as N.C.G.S. §163-278.10A).
If you have any questions about the status options described above, please contact your County
Board of Elections. It is extremely important to understand that your committee must
follow the requirements of the status it designates. Failure to do so could result in criminal
and civil penalties.
Mandatory Electronic Filing
Effective January 1, 2017, all committees that raise or spend more than $10,000.00 during an
Election Cycle are required to file reports electronically. Many committees started electronic
filing during the last two years.
NOTE: Effective with the 2019 Mid Year Semi Annual Report, committees that fail to
report electronically when required may be subject to a civil penalty.
The 2019 Mid Year Semi Amoral Report is the first report in the election cycle for most
committees. If your intent is to file electronically for the 2020 Election Cycle, you are strongly
encouraged to consider electronically filing this report.
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For the last reporting period, the State Board of Elections received reports electronically from
over 1,200 committees. If you have never filed electronically, please consider downloading the
Campaign Finance Remote Software now, and familiarizing yourself with the various processes.
NOTE: Software and help topics are available on the State Board of Elections website at
www.ncsbe.aov under Campaign Finance, Reporting Software.
Relevant Statute: N.C.G.S. § 163A-1418 (also cited as N.C.G.S. § 163-278.9).
Officer Changes
Please remember, you must notify the appropriate Board of Elections office of any change to
treasurer, assistant treasurer or custodian of books within ten days of that change. You must
notify by completing and filing an amended Statement of Organization (CRO -2100).
NOTE: Please ensure that you choose the correct version of this form (A — G) based on the type
of Committee (Candidate, Party, etc.).
Relevant Statute: N.C.G.S. §163A-1412 (also cited as N.C.G.S. §163-278.7).
Maximum Contribution Increase
There is an important update regarding the maximum contribution limitation. The
State Board of Elections is required to evaluate the maximum contribution limitation
every two years pursuant to 163-278.13 (al). The maximum contribution limitation as of
January 1, 2019 is $5,400 and remains in effect through December 31, 2020.
Questions about any of the above items may be directed to Union County Board of Elections
either by telephone at 704-283-3684 or by email to Juanita.Reyes@uioncountync.gov.
Sincerely,
Juanita Reyes
Accounting Technician
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