Campaign Finance (Candidates and Committees)

Campaign Electronic Reporting System (CERS) (Instructions)

The Inspection and Exam Process

Both candidates and committees will become familiar with the inspection and exam process.   An Inspection Report is a COPP inspection that occurs each time a candidate or committee files a campaign finance report leading up to an election. The Inspection Report notes all changes a candidate or committee must make to each campaign finance report in order to comply with Montana law. A CFR Compliance Report will only detail one specific financial report, which will be stated in the “Reference Report” field.

An Exam occurs after an election and serves as a final and cumulative inspection of all financial reports filed by a candidate or committee (required by 13-37-123, MCA). All campaign finance reports are included in the Exam, and the COPP alerts the candidate or committee to all outstanding items or issues that must be addressed by the candidate or committee. The candidate or committee then has 10 business days to correct all outstanding items. For more details on the Inspection and Exam Process, click here.

Candidate Forms

COPP Candidate Forms Guide

Statement of Candidate (Statewide or State District)
Form C-1 / Email Address Request / Instructions
File Form C-1 electronically here.

Statement of Candidate (County, Municipal, or School)
Form C-1-A / Email Address Request / Instructions
File Form C-1-A electronically here.

Code of Fair Campaign Practices
Form C-3 (Voluntary, not required.)
File Form C-3 electronically here.

Candidate Finance Report
Form C-5 Instructions
Form C-5 (PDF)
Form C-5 (Excel)
File Form C-5 electronically here.

Notice of Pre-Election Contributions (only required from May 20th to June 5th and October 20th to November 6th)

Form C-7
File Form C-7 electronically here.

Constituent Services Reporting Form
Form C-8

Disposition of Surplus Campaign Funds Statement
Form C-118 Instructions
Form C-118

Establishing a Constituent Services Account
Form C-118C Instructions
Form C-118C

Business Disclosure Statement
Form D-1 Instructions
Form D-1

Committee Forms

COPP Committee Forms Guide

Statement of Organization
Form C-2 / Email Address Request / Instructions
File Form C-2 electronically here.

Incidental Political Committee Finance Report
Form C-4 Instructions
Form C-4
File Form C-4 electronically here.

Political Committee Finance Report
Form C-6 Instructions
Form C-6 (PDF)
Form C-6 (Excel)
File Form C-6 electronically here.

Notice of Pre-Election Contributions (only required from May 20th to June 5th and October 20th to November 6th) (Not applicable to political party committees or to political action committees)

Form C-7
File Form C-7 electronically here.

24 Hour Notice of Pre-Election Expenditures (Only required from May 20th to June 5th and October 20th to November 6th)
Form C-7E Instructions
Form C-7E
File Form C-7E electronically here.

Campaign Complaint Forms
Please see HERE.