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Federal Candidates: Filing For Office Table of Contents

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Federal Candidate Filing Requirements:

• Complete the Federal Filing Paperwork
• Obtain an EIN
• Open a Campaign Bank Account
• Filing For Office Guide </aside>

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Before You File , make sure you meet the voter registration, age, and residency requirements to run for this office. Check here.

• Make sure to check out our entire Campaign Checklist for a walkthrough of your other candidacy requirements.
• Plan how you’ll be Announcing Your Candidacy. You only have one to chance to make a first impression so make it count! </aside>

Federal Candidate Filing Requirements

The following information is not intended to be legal advice, candidates are encouraged to contact their qualifying officer for more information on requirements and deadlines.

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Refer to the FEC Filing Guide for specific requirements, which can be found here.

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1️⃣ Complete the Federal filing paperwork

File FEC form 1: Statement of Organization

• How to Prepare and File your FEC form 1

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  All candidates must appoint a campaign treasurer on FEC Form 1 and before opening a campaign bank account.

  • To learn more about appointing a Campaign Treasurer, check out General Financial Compliance </aside>

File FEC form 2: **Statement of Candidacy** within 15 days of your statement of organization or collecting $5,000 in campaign contributions, whichever comes first.

• How to Prepare and File your FEC form 2
• While not required, we recommend candidates complete FEC Forms 1 and 2 at the same time to avoid any issues.

For help registering with the FEC check out this tutorial video: How To Register With The FEC

2️⃣ Obtain an EIN

The IRS requires that political committees obtain a tax ID number, otherwise known as an EIN. Candidates or their appointed treasurer can apply for the EIN by completing the IRS **Form SS-4** by fax, telephone, or online.

• For a step by step instructional guide on obtaining an EIN click HERE

The EIN is NOT the same number as your FEC ID number, for more information view the FEC instructions here

3️⃣ Open a Campaign Bank Account

Political committees must open a bank account, which will be opened using their EIN. The name and address of your bank will be required to complete your Statement of Organization (Form 1).

Your account must be at one of the following:

• National Bank
• State Bank
• FDIC or NCUA- Insured Institution

🚨Only some branches and banking institutions allow Federal Campaign accounts, these are typically larger banks. We strongly recommend calling your bank of choice before attempting to open an account.

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For a step by step instructional guide on opening a bank account click **HERE.**

For more information about opening and maintaining your Federal bank account, visit the FEC Bank Accounts of Candidate Committees

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Filing for Office Guide

Check out the document below for a comprehensive collection of information and resources to file for office:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18OEEiWiJ0X4YfJdKkQdoRESpOvrOH2gH/view?usp=share_link

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Toolkit Table of Contents

• Thinking About Running
• Ready To Run
• Federal Candidates Guidance
• Non-Federal Candidate Guidance
• Communications
• Digital
• Finance
• Field
• Additional Resources

❓Don’t see something you need? Reach out to our Candidate Support Team at [email protected] with suggestions or questions.

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