Where and when to file - and how much!
Federal
Candidates running for US Senate or US House representing a major political party must file with their respective parties between noon on March 16 and noon on March 30, and submit a Statement of Intention of Candidacy. One must register with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) within 15 days of reaching $5,000 worth of contributions or expenditures. Read more about Federal filing requirements.
Statewide, State, and County
Candidates of major political parties must file with their respective political parties between noon on March 16 and noon on March 30 and submit a Statement of Intention of Candidacy. The filing fee is 1% of the total salary for the term of that office or $100, whichever is greater. Candidates and committees must file with the South Carolina State Ethics Commission within 10 days of spending or receiving $500 worth of campaign funds.
Download filing fees for all Federal, State, and County offices
Candidates must file a pre-election report with the South Carolina State Ethics Commission no later than 15 days prior to the election date that covers any information from the last report (if any) to 20 days prior to the election, even if there has not been any financial activity. Quarterly reports must also be filed by candidates, committees, and ballot measure committees with the SC State Ethics Commission. Read more about South Carolina filing requirements.
To download the full 2012 Election Calendar, click here.