Skip to main content
NCSBE logo NCSBE

Topical Navigation

  • Home
  • Registering
  • Voting
  • For Candidates
  • Results & Data
  • Campaign Finance
    Campaign Finance
    • Search Campaign Funding and Spending Reports
    • Reporting Schedules
    • Reporting Forms
    • Reporting Software
    • Treasurer Training
    • Candidate Committees
    • Other Political Committees
    • Federal Political Committees
    • Independent Expenditures, Electioneering Communications and Special Contributors
    • Referendum Committees
    • Campaign Finance Audits and Investigations
    • Penalties
  • About Elections
  • About
  • Contact
  • Media
  • nc.gov

Campaign Finance Deadlines

Fourth Quarter and Year-End Semiannual reports coming due: See the schedules.
NCSBE »  
Campaign Finance
»  
Reporting Schedules

Reporting Schedules

Candidates, Parties, PAC Schedule – Quarterly and Semiannual Reporting

A candidate committee, political party committee or PAC’s status as a quarterly or semiannual filer is determined by N.C.G.S. § 163-278.9. 

  • Candidate committees for state offices on the ballot in 2020 file semiannual reports in 2019 and quarterly reports in 2020.
  • Candidate committees for county offices on the ballot in 2020 file semiannual reports in 2019 and quarterly reports in 2020.
  • Active political party committees, including county political party executive committees and subordinate committees, file semiannual reports in 2019 and quarterly reports in 2020.
  • Active PACs file semiannual reports in 2019 and quarterly reports in 2020.
  • Candidate committees supporting candidates who are not on the ballot in 2019 or 2020 file semiannual reports in both 2019 and 2020, unless the candidate committee contributes to a candidate for state office or county office on the ballot in 2020. Once a contribution is made, the candidate committee is required to file quarterly reports in 2020.
  • Candidates committees and political committees supporting municipal candidates should contact their county board of elections for more information on the applicable reporting schedule.

Please Note: 48 Hour Reports may also be required. See below.

Please Also Note: The treasurer of a newly organized candidate committee, political party committee or PAC is required to file an organizational report no later than the 10th day following the date the candidate files notice of candidacy or the 10th day following the organization of the political committee, whichever occurs first. This report must disclose all contributions and expenditures since the organization of the committee.   

2019-2020 State and County Reporting Schedule

Note: PACs and parties are to file the 2020 Fourth Quarter report for all candidates that were on the ballot in the 2020 elections.

Year-end semiannual reports are only due from candidates not appearing on the ballot in the 2020 elections.

The campaign finance office of the State Board of Elections strongly encourages treasurers to send all disclosure reports by certified mail or by other delivery services with proof of pickup and delivery dates. 

Due to the worsening COVID-19 situation in North Carolina, the State Board of Elections Office is not accepting in-person appointments.

We have several options available for your convenience: 

  • Certified mailing
  • US Postal Service mail
  • Overnight delivery by FedEx and UPS   
  • Onsite drop box located in the main lobby of the State Board of Elections Office (Please use the sign in log sheet for campaign finance located with the drop box.)

Our main telephone number is 919-814-0700 or email us at:  elections.sboe@ncsbe.gov.
 

Report
Year

Report
Name

Report
Start Date 

Report
End Date

Report
Due Date

2019

Mid-Year Semiannual

1/1/2019

6/30/2019

7/26/2019

2019

Year-End Semiannual

7/1/2019

12/31/2019

1/31/2020

2020 

First Quarter Plus

 1/1/2020

2/15/2020

2/25/2020

2020

Second Quarter

2/16/2020

6/30/2020

7/10/2020

2020

Third Quarter Plus

7/1/2020

10/17/2020

10/27/2020

2020

Fourth Quarter

10/18/2020

12/31/2020

1/12/2021

2020

Mid-Year Semiannual*

1/1/2020

6/30/2020

7/31/2020

2020

Year-End Semiannual*

7/1/2020

12/31/2020

1/29/2021

*The Mid-Year Semiannual and Year-End Semiannual reports are only due from candidates that are not appearing on the ballot in the 2020 elections.

Candidates, Parties, PACs, and Referendum Committees – 48 Hour Reports

A candidate committee, political party committee, PAC, or referendum committee that receives a contribution or transfer of funds of $1,000 or more before an election but after the period covered by the last report due before that election is required to file a 48 Hour Report disclosing the contribution. 48 Hour Reports are submitted using form CRO-2220 48 Hour Notice and must be filed with the board of elections within 48 hours of receipt of the contribution. An additional form CRO-1510 In-Kind Contributions is required if the contribution is an in-kind contribution. Unlike other reports, a 48 Hour Report that must be filed with the State Board of Elections may be sent by fax to 919-715-0135 or email to campaign.reporting@ncsbe.gov. Please contact your county board of elections for information about how to file 48 Hours Reports with your county board office.

A contribution disclosed in a 48 Hour Report must also be disclosed on the next due report.

48 Hour Reporting Period for Candidates, Parties and PACs:

Report Year

Election

48 Hour
Report Period

Report
Due Date

2020

Primary

2/16/2020 - 3/3/2020

within 48 hours of receipt

2020

General

10/18/2020 - 11/3/2020

within 48 hours of receipt

 

48 Hour Reporting Period for Referendum Committees:

 

Report Year

Election

48 Hour
Report Period

Report
Due Date

2020

Referendums on the March Ballot

2/18/2020 - 3/3/2020

within 48 hours of receipt

2020

Referendums on the November Ballot

10/20/2020 - 11/3/2020

within 48 hours of receipt

2020 Referendum Reporting Schedule

The treasurer of each referendum committee is required to file reports consistent with N.C.G.S. § 278.9A.

For referendums on the March 2020 ballot

Report Name

Coverage Dates

Due Date

Organizational Report

Up to the first 10 days of the committee’s activity

Within 10 days of the committee organizing

Pre-Referendum Report

Period start date is the day after the Organizational Report ends. Report must cover all contributions and expenditures through 02/17/2020

02/24/2020

48 Hour Reports

02/18/2020 through 03/03/2020

Within 48 hours of receipt

ELECTION

 

03/03/2020

Final Report

Must cover 02/18/2020 through 03/06/2020

03/13/2020

Supplemental Final

If the Final Report does not cover all contributions and expenditures, the Supplemental Final Report must cover 03/07/2020 through 12/31/2020

01/07/2021

Annual Report

01/01/2021 – 12/31/2021

01/07/2022

Please Note: 48 Hour Reports may also be required.

Please Also Note: The treasurer of a newly organized referendum committee is required to file an organizational report no later than the 10th day following the organization of the referendum committee. This report must disclose all contributions and expenditures since the organization of the committee.  

For Referendums on the November 2020 ballot

Report Name

Coverage Dates

Due Date

Organizational Report

Up to the first ten days of the committee’s activity

Within 10 days of the committee organizing

Pre-Referendum Report

Period start date is the day after the Organizational Report ends. Report must cover all contributions and expenditures through 10/19/2020

10/26/2020

48 Hour Reports

10/20/2020 through 11/03/2020

Within 48 hours of receipt

ELECTION

 

11/03/2020

Final Report

Must cover 10/20/2020 through 11/06/2020

11/13/2020

Supplemental Final

If the Final Report does not cover all contributions and expenditures, the Supplemental Final Report must cover 11/07/2020 through 12/31/2020

01/07/2021

Annual Report

01/01/2021 – 12/31/2021

01/07/2022

Please Note: 48 Hour Reports may also be required.

Please Also Note: The treasurer of a newly organized referendum committee is required to file an organizational report no later than the 10th day following the organization of the referendum committee. This report must disclose all contributions and expenditures since the organization of the committee.  

Legal Expense Fund Report Schedule

The treasurer of each legal expense fund is required to file reports consistent with N.C.G.S. § 163-278.308. 

Report
Year

Report
Name

Report
Start Date 

Report
End Date

Report
Due Date

2019 

First Quarter

 1/1/2019

3/31/2019

4/12/2019

2019

Second Quarter

4/1/2019

6/30/2019

7/15/2019

2019

Third Quarter

7/1/2019

9/30/2019

10/14/2019

2019

Fourth Quarter

10/1/2019

12/31/2019

1/15/2020

2020

First Quarter

1/1/2020

3/31/2020

4/15/2020

2020

Second Quarter

4/1/2020

6/30/2020

7/15/2020

2020

Third Quarter

7/1/2020

9/30/2020

10/14/2020

2020

Fourth Quarter

10/1/2020

12/31/2020

1/15/2021

Please Note: The treasurer of a newly organized legal expense fund is required to file an organizational report within 10 days of the creation of the legal expense fund.

Notices of Reports Due

Notices of reports due are sent by the board of elections to committee treasurers.  Please note that if the address of a committee’s treasurer is not current, that committee may not receive these notifications but must still file the reports.

Treasurer Responsibility

The treasurer is responsible for obtaining evidence of the mailing date for reports. Metered postage does not prove timely filing because a meter may be set to any date. A postmark is evidence of timely mailing, but you must request that the post office place a legible postmark on your envelope; the process is no longer automatic. Many of the letters we receive bear no postmark or illegible postmarks. Treasurers are advised to send reports through registered or certified mail.

 

Campaign Finance

  • Search Campaign Funding and Spending Reports
  • Reporting Schedules
  • Reporting Forms
  • Reporting Software
  • Treasurer Training
  • Candidate Committees
  • Other Political Committees
  • Federal Political Committees
  • Independent Expenditures, Electioneering Communications and Special Contributors
  • Referendum Committees
  • Campaign Finance Audits and Investigations
  • Penalties

Share this page:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Back to top

Contact

North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE)

PO Box 27255
Raleigh NC 27611-7255

Email: elections.sboe@ncsbe.gov
Phone: (919) 814-0700
Fax: (919) 715-0135

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

Tweets by @NCSBE

Voter Tools

Voter Search
County Boards of Elections Search
Voter Registration Statistics Search
More...

Work With Us

Career Opportunities
County Boards Resources
NCSBE Email Login
NCSBE SharePoint Site

  • Translate Disclaimer
  • Accessibility
  • TERMS OF USE
  • PRIVACY
  • OPEN BUDGET