Reporting

Federal

After initially filing FEC Form 2 and FEC Form 1 to the Federal Election Commission, candidates for US Senate or House must continue to report their financial activity quarterly.

Statewide, State, County/Municipal

Any campaign reports filed by the candidate must be certified by the candidate, and any campaign reports filed by a committee must be certified by a duly authorized officer of the committee, according to the Campaign Practices Law and Penalties of the South Carolina State Ethics Commission. Information about the SC Campaign Practices Law and Penalties can be found online. A candidate or committee must file with the SC State Ethics Commission within 10 days of spending or receiving $500 worth of campaign funds. If the campaign does not spend or receive this much money before the election, it must file an initial certified campaign report 15 days before the election. After filing the initial certified campaign report, additional certified campaign reports must be filed within 10 days after every calendar quarter whether before or after the election until the campaign account is closed.

Certified campaign reports about the expenditures and contributions of a campaign must include:

  • the total amount of contributions accepted by the candidate and committee;
  • the total expenditures made;
  • the name and address of each person who made a contribution worth more than $100;
  • the amount and date of receipt of each contribution; and 
  • the name and address of each person who made an expenditure on the campaign’s behalf including the date, amount, purpose, and beneficiary of the expenditure.

South Carolina State Ethics Commission Public Disclosure and Accountability Reporting System records individual reports, contributions, expenditures, and lobbyist reports.