Reporting Calendars
Reference MCA 13-37 for all campaign finance information, including report filing timelines (13-37-226), time periods covered by reports (13-37-228), and disclosure requirements (13-37-229). In accordance with 13-37-225 and 226 MCA, all candidates and all committees must file reports electronically, using the Campaign Electronic Reporting System (CERS).
Reference MCA 5-7 for all lobbying information, including report filing timelines and reporting requirements (5-7-208). Lobbying finance reports may be filed electronically, using the Principal and Lobbyist Online Reporting System (PLORS) or hard copy (paper).
Please note: Under Montana law, Sundays are a legal holiday, Mont. Code Ann. § 1-1- 216(1)(a). When a requirement of law is to be “performed upon a particular day, which day falls upon a holiday or a Saturday, such act may be performed upon the next business day with the same effect as if it had been performed upon the day appointed,” Mont. Code Ann. § 1-1-307. Therefore, if a report is due on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, it will be accepted as timely filed if received by the following business day.
2024 Candidates:
2024 candidate reporting calendar
2024 school candidate reporting calendar (May 7, 2024 election)
2024 Districts Required to Report Campaign Finance Activities (via Montana's Office of Public Instruction (OPI))
2024 Committees:
2024 committee reporting calendar
2024 school committee reporting calendar (May 7, 2024 election)
2024 Districts Required to Report Campaign Finance Activities (via Montana's Office of Public Instruction (OPI))
2023 Candidates:
Municipal (city) candidates: 2023 municipal (city) candidate reporting calendar
School candidates: (PDF of 2023 School District Candidate Reporting Dates)
2023 Committees:
Municipal (city) election calendar: 2023 Municipal (city) committee reporting calendar
School calendar: (PDF of 2023 School District Participating Committee Reporting Dates)
Committees with no activity: 2023 committees no activity calendar
2024 Training Materials and Recordings
2024 candidate campaign reporting presentation- PowerPoint and PDF
2024 committee reporting presentation- PowerPoint and PDF
Basic candidate campaign finance reporting- PowerPoint and PDF
Basic political committee campaign finance reporting- PowerPoint and PDF
Political party commitee campaign finance reporting (from 4/16 event requested by the Montana Democratic Party)- PowerPoint and PDF
February 7- School candidate and committeess training- PowerPoint and Recording (passcode is G15G*f=&)
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2023 Trainings, Schedule and Materials
February 6- School Committees training- PowerPoint
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2022 Trainings
January 28 – GOP Winter Kick-Off – Candidates 3PM-4PM / Committees 2PM-3PM (Registration, site available through Montana GOP)(Materials-see 2022 General Candidate below)(Materials - Committee General below)
February 9 - Billings Chamber of Commerce Candidate School 9AM CPP portion (Registration, site available through Billings Chamber of Commerce)(Materials-see 2022 General Candidate below)
February 10 - Montana Farm Bureau Federation Campaign Training Seminar - Noon for CPP portion (Registration, site available through MFBF) (Materials - see 2022 General Candidate)
February (Postponed from the 10th, Date not reset) - Montana Democratic Party staff - (Info, site avail through Montana Dems)
February 22 – School Candidates only ZOOM RECORDING LINK passcode - A5Y5p#gk (Materials below)
March 1 – Candidate Session and Committee Session (Materials Candidate below) (Materials Committee below) LINKS - CANDIDATE SESSION ZOOM RECORDING
COMMITTEE SESSION ZOOM RECORDING
March 9 – Billings/Zoom 1PM-3PM (Candidates) (email cppcompliance@mt.gov for more information)(Materials below, Billings Assoc of Realtors Conference facility - 2021 Overland Ave in Billings) No video available
March 10 – Bozeman/Zoom 2PM – 4PM (Candidates) (email cppcompliance@mt.gov for more information)(Materials below, Gallatin County Courthouse Community Room, 311 W. Main St. in Bozeman) Links - CANDIDATE TRAINING ZOOM VIDEO
March 22 – Helena/Zoom CANCELLED - LACK OF REGISTRATIONS
March 28 – COMMITTEE ZOOM ONLY Video link - (Materials Committee below)
April 12 – Missoula training CANCELLED - LACK OF REGISTRATIONS (All interested parties can participate and/or attend GTF zoom or in-person April 13
April 13 – Great Falls/Zoom (Candidates) Zoom Video Recording Link (Materials below)
May 12 - ZOOM Only - How to - C7 and C7E report specific (Materials) ZOOM Recording link
Campaign Finance Training - COPP Led Workshops - Materials
2022 Committee C7 & C7E Power Point and PDF
2022 Candidate C7 & C7E Power Point and PDF
2022 School Candidate C7 & C7E (applies School Committee as well) Power Point and PDF
2022 COPP Campaign Finance Reporting Presentation (Download Power Point slides) (Resource Handout)
2022 COPP Campaign Finance Reporting Presentation (Download PP as PDF)
2022 Committee Finance Reporting Presentation (PowerPoint) (PDF)
2022 Candidate Campaign Finance Responsibilities - General (PP) (PDF)
2022 Committee Finance Reporting Responsibilities - General (PP) (PDF)
2022 School Candidate Filing & Reporting (PowerPoint) (PDF)
2021 COPP General Campaign Finance PowerPoint and PDF
2021 COPP Municipal Candidate Campaign Finance Training materials - PowerPoint and PDF
2021 COPP C7, C7E Campaign Finance Report Training materials - PowerPoint and PDF
Municipal Candidate Campaign Finance Training Presentation June, 2021 Zoom Recording; Municipal Candidate Campaign Finance Training Presentation July, 2021 Zoom recording (starts around 6 min mark)
Municipal C7/C7E Campaign Finance Report Training August, 2021 Zoom Recording
Municipal C7/C7E Campaign Finance Report Training October 2021 Zoom Recording PDF
PREVIOUS (Older materials, while most information is likely unchanged, latest revisions due to legislation, database updates, etc. may not be included):
2020 COPP Workshop materials - CANDIDATE PowerPoint or COMMITTEE Powerpoint
CANDIDATE TRAINING WORKSHOP via YOUTUBE recorded March 17, 2020
COMMITTEE TRAINING WORKSHOP via YOUTUBE recorded April 21, 2020
Do you know what reporting responsibilities are for a 2020 candidate or political committee? If you want a great primer or would benefit from a refresher, join the COPP at these free events (hosted by the Montana Association of Realtors). The below trainings describe whether they are most relevant for 2020 candidates or political committees. All treasurers, volunteers, and members of the public are also invited to attend the trainings!
2023 Legislative Session Reports
- Feb. 15, 2023: Mandatory L-5 report covering January
- March 15, 2023: L-5 report covering February that is required if you spent $5,000 or more in February
- April 15, 2023: L-5 report covering March that is required if you spent $5,000 or more in March
- May 15, 2023: L-5 report covering April that is required if you spent $5,000 or more in April
- June 1, 2023 (30 days after adjournment): Mandatory L-5 report due 30 days after the session adjourns, covering all activity from the end of your last filed report through adjournment. Note - if you filed your May 15, 2023 L-5 report covering April if you spent $5,000 or more in April 2023 and it covered all activity, it is not necessary to do both.
- February 15, 2024: Year-end Session L-5 report required if any lobbying activity or expenses occurred during the 2023 session or after the 2023 session's adjournment. If a principal terminated their lobbyist by the end of the legislative session, and no other lobbyists are active, this report is not required.
2023 Post-Session Lobbying L-5 Report Due Dates
1- After the session, any time $5,000 or more is spent on lobbying activities in a single month, an L-5 must be filed on the 15th of the following month. The report must also retroactively include any previous expenses from months were $5,000 or more was NOT spent. For example, if a principal spends $2,000 in June and $5,000 in July, they must file a monthly L-5 on August 15th. This report would cover all June and July expenses and activity. Please see MCA 5-7-208.
2- If $5,000 is not spent in a single month after the legislative session concludes, an L-5 Year End Session Report is required to be filed by February 15, 2024. All post-session lobbying activity and expenses must be disclosed in this L-5 report. Please see MCA 5-7-208.
3- If a principal does not have any lobbying activity after the legislative session and they did not terminate all lobbyists by the end of the session, they must file the L-5 Year End Session Report stating that no activity or expenses occurred. Please see MCA 5-7-208.
Resources
- L-5 Lobbying Financial Report Guide
- Guide to registering using the Lobbyist & Principal Online Reporting System
C-8 Constituent Services Reporting Form (C-8 form): Form C-8 is the Constituent Services Reporting form, which discloses any expenses made from an established constituent services account (learn more about constituent services accounts here).
- - C-8 reports are to be filed quarterly with the COPP and are filed after a candidate has established a constituent services account filing form C-118C.
- - C-8 forms must be filed by sending a digital or hard copy C-8 form either via email (cppcompliance@mt.gov), fax (406-444-1643), mail (PO Box 202401, Helena, MT, 59620-2401), or hand delivered (1209 8th Avenue, Helena, Montana).
C-8 Constituent Services Account C-8 Report Due Dates and Guide; See Mont. Code Ann. 13-37-402; 44.11.709, ARM
1- January 10
2- April 10
3- July 10
4- October 10