FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION October 1989 999 E Street NW Washington DC 20463 Volume 15, Number 10 Texas Special Election Texas has scheduled a special election on November 7, 1989, to fill the 18th Congressional District seat held by the late Mickey Leland, As in Mississippi, a second election may be REPORTS DUE IN OCTOBER necessary if no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the November 7 election. In that case, a Presidential Candidates second special election will be scheduled within Authorized Presidential com mi ttees that five days after the official election results are have chosen to file on a quarterly schedule in declared. Only the two top vote-getters in the 1989 (instead of monthly) must file a quarterly previous election-regardless of party affiliation­ report by October 15. The report should cover all will participate in the second election. activity from the close of books of the last report filed or from the date of registration (whichever Reporting by Authorized Committees is later) through September 30, 1989. Authorized committees of candidates who participate in these elections must file reports All Monthly Filers according to the schedules given in the tables Party committees, PACs and other commit­ below. A committee should consult the table that tees filing on a monthly schedule must file reports corresponds to the candidate's situation. by the 20th of each month. Reports should cover Note that an authorized committee must also all financial activity from the close of books of file notices of contributions of $1,000 or more the last report filed or from the date of registra­ tion (whichever is later). For example, the Oc­ continued tober monthly report should be filed by October 20 and should cover all activity through Septem­ ber 30. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 REPORTS SPECIAL ELECTIONS 1 Mississippi and Texas Reporting Information 3 PAC and Party Reporting COMMISSIONERS 4 Report on Visit to Soviet Union Released SPECIAL ELECTIONS IN 4 ADVISORY OPINIONS TEXAS AND MISSISSIPPI Texas and Mississippi have scheduled special REGULATIONS elections to fill recently vacated House seats. 6 New Affiliation and Transfer Rules The reporting requirements explained in this ar­ COURT CASES a~tive ticle apply only to committees in the 8 New Litigation special elections. All other. committees sho~ld follow the normal nonelection year reporting 9 COMPLIANCE: MUR 1837 schedule (see the January and June 1989 issues of STATISTICS the Record, as well as the article on October 11 Final Report on 1988 Presidential Primaries Reports, above). 11 Major Party Activity, January - June 1989 Mississippi Special Election CLEARINGHOUSE Mississippi will hold a special election on 14 FEe Journal on Election Administration October 3, 1989, to fin the 5th Congressional 14 Advisory Panel Members Appointed District seat left vacant by the death of Con­ 14 INFORMATION: State Corporations Divisions zressman Larkin Smith. If no candidate wins a 7najority of the votes in the October 3 election, a 15 PUBLICATIONS: E&:J Compilation runoff will be held on October iz. 15 INDEX October 1989 FEDERAL ELECTION COrvlrVllSSION Volume 15, Number 10 received after the close of books of the pre­ Table II: Two Elections Held; Committees election report but more than 2 days before an Supporting Candidates in Both 10/3 Special election. The notice must reach the Clerk of the and 10/1'1 Runoff House and the appropriate state office within 48 hours of the committee's receipt of the contribu­ Report Period Reg.I Filing tion. 11 CPR 104.5(f). See also AO 198B-32. Covered* Cert. Date Mailing Contribution Limits Date** The limits on contributions to a candidate Pre-Special '1/1 - 9/13 9/18 9/21 apply separately to each election held. 11 CFR Pre-Runoff 9/14 - 9/27 10/5 *** 10/5 100.2, 110.1(j) and 110.2(i). A candidate must Post-Runoff 9/28 - 11/6 11/16 U/16 participate in an election to qualify for the con­ Year-End 11/'1 - 12/31 1/31 1/31 tribution limit for that election. Where to File Authorized com mittees of candidates file Table ill: Two Elections Held; Committees with the Clerk of the House (see Form 3 for the Supporting Candidates in 10/3 Special Only address) and simultaneously file copies of reports ------------------- with the appropriate state office: Report Period Reg.I Filing o Mississippi Secretary of State, 401 Mississippi Covered* Cert. Date Street, Jackson, 1\1S 39205 Mailing a Texas Secretary of State, P.O. Box 12070, Date** Austin, TX 78711 ._--------- For more information, call the Information Pre-Special 7/1 - 9/13 9/18 9/21 Services Division at 800/424-9530 or 202/376­ Year-End 9/14 - 12/31 3120. 1/31 1/31 MISSISSIPPISPECIAL ELECTION REPORTING DATES ------_._------~------- TEXAS 18th DISTRICT SPECIAL ELECTION Table I: Only One Election Held; Committees REPORTING DATES Supporting Candidates in the 10/3 Special ------- Table I: Only One Election Held; Committees Report Period Reg.! Filing Supporting Candidates in 11/'1 Special Covered* Cert. Date Mailing Report Period Reg.! Filing Date** Covered* Cert. Date -~---_._-_.--_._~-------"- Mailing Pre-Special 7/1 - 9/13 9/18 9/21 Date*'" Post-Special 9/14 - 10/23 11/2 11/2 Year-End 10/24- 12/3 1 1/31 1/31 Pre-Special 7/1 - 10/18 10/23 10/26 Post-Special 10/19 - 11127 12/7 12/7 Year-End 11/28 - 12/31 1/31 1/31 "'The period-begins ~ith th-;~lose of bookS of ----_.__._-------- the last report filed by the committee. If the Table ll: Two Elections Heldj Committees committee has filed no previous reports, the peri­ Supporting Candidates in Both 11/7 Special od begins with the date of the committee's first And Runoff, to be Announced (TBA) activity. -----"----_._._~--- Report Period Reg./ Filing "''''Reports sent by registered or certified mail Covered* Cert. Date must be postmarked by the mailing date. Other­ Mailing wise, they must he received by the filing date. Date** "'''''''Committees involved in the runoff may use the October 5 filing date '1S the mailing date for Pre-Special 7/1 -10/1B 10/23 10/26 the Pre-RUIloff report. Pre-Runoff 10/19 - TBA TBA TBA Post-Runoff TBA 'fBA TEA Year-End TBA - 12/31 1/31 1/31 2 October 1989 FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION Volume 15, Number 10 Table III: Two Elections Held; Committees Monthly Filers Supporting Candidates in 11/7 Special Only (Not PACs and party committees that file monthly in Runoff) during 1989 do not have to file pre- and post­ -----------------" election reports for special elections. PACs filing Report Period Reg.! Filing on a monthly schedule, however, may have to file Covered* Cert. Date independent expenditure reports, as explained Mailing below. Date** PAC Reports on Independent Expenditures Pre-Special 7/l - 10/18 10/23 10/26 Any PAC (including a monthly filer) that Year-End 10/19 - 12/31 1/31 1/31 makes independent expenditures in connection with a special election may have to file a last­ minute report. Independent expenditures aggre­ gating $1,000 or more that are made after the SPECIAL ELECTION REPORTING FOR close of books of a pre-election report (see tables) PAC AND PARTY COMMITTEES but more than 24 hom's before the election must PACs and party committees active in the be reported within 24 hours after the expenditure Mississippi and Texas special elections may also is made. 11 CFR 104.4(b) and 104.S(g). have to file reports, depending on whether they file on a monthly or a semiannual schedule. (To change filing schedules, see 11 CF R 104,5(c).) PARTY EXPENDITURE LIMITS FOR Additionally, P ACs--including monthly filers­ MISSISSIPPI AND TEXAS SPECIAL ELECTIONS may have to file last-minute reports of independ­ The coordinated party expenditure limit for ent expenditures made in connection with special both the Mississippi and Texas special elections is elections. $23,990 ($10,000 multiplied by 2.399, the 1988 cost-of-living adjustment). This amount may be Semiannual Filers spent by the party's national committee in con­ PACs and party committees that report nection with the general election campaigns of semiannually during 1989 may have to file pre-and the candidates running in each special election. post-election reports. A filing requirement for a The parties' Mississippi and Texas state commit­ special election is triggered if: tees may also each spend up to $23,990 in co­ a The committee makes contributions or expendi­ ordinated party expenditures in connection with tures in connection with a special election the special election in their states. during the coverage dates shown in the tables; For purposes of coordinated party expendi­ and tures, the November 7 Texas election and the o The committee has not previously disclosed the October 3 Mississippi election are considered gen­ eral elections. Nate, however, that single special election activity in an earlier report. a $23,990 limit (that is, one limit for the national 11 CF R 104.5(c)(l)(ii) and (h). party and one limit for the state party) applies, regardless of the number of candidates and regardless of whether a second election is held. *The per~d begi~ withthe~lose ofbOoks of (A second election would be considered a the last report filed by the committee. If the continuation of the first. AO 1983-16.) committee has filed no previous reports, the peri­ od begins with the date of the committee's first activity. * ItReports sent by registered or certified mail must be postmarked by the mailing date.