Political parties’ candidates on the Primary Election ballot that have spent or received $1,000 or more between their last report and February 26, 2020 for the March 17, primaries have been mandated to provide their Pre-Primary Reports by Thursday, March 5, at 4:00 p.m. in Ohio State.

The $1,000 threshold includes monetary and in-kind contributions, along with the value of any new loans received during the reporting period.

A statement by the spokesperson for the Office of the Ohio Secretary of State, Maggie Sheehan said, “the penalty for failure to file a required campaign finance statement is a fine of up to $100 per day (R.C. 3517.992(A)).”

Similarly, political action committees and political parties that spent or received $1,000 or more to influence the results of the Primary Election between their last report and February 26, 2020 shall file a Pre-Primary Report by tomorrow, March 5, at 4:00 p.m.

This report must include all contributions received and expenditures made since the period reflected in their last filed report, if any, through the close of business on February 26, 2020. Committees that do not meet $1,000 spent or raised before February 26 are not required to file tomorrow but will still have to file the Post-Election Report on April 24, 2020.

Candidates for statewide office, General Assembly and judge of Court of Appeals are, in certain circumstances, required to file their campaign finance reports electronically with the Secretary of State’s office.

More information regarding electronic filing requirements can be found in the Notification to Statewide, General Assembly and Court of Appeals Candidates of Requirements to File Campaign Finance Reports by Electronic Means (Form 30-N).

The penalty for failure to file a required campaign finance statement is a fine of up to $100 per day (R.C. 3517.992(A)). The penalty for failure to file a campaign finance statement by electronic means when required to do so is a fine of up to $1,000 (R.C. 3517.992(Z)).

The Pre-Primary Report must be received, not postmarked, at the appropriate office as required by the Ohio Revised Code no later than 4:00 p.m. on March 5, 2020.