Frequently Asked Questions

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Can a candidate or officeholder use campaign funds to pay for childcare?

Candidates and officeholders are allowed to pay for childcare using their campaign funds while they are engaging in campaign activity or office holder duties.

Created: 5/14/2019 Last Modified: 5/14/2019

Can I be fined for personal contributions to my campaign?

Yes. Any money that you lend to your campaign in any form classifies as a contribution to your campaign. This means that personal contributions from yourself must be reported to your financial ledger within the respective 31 or 7-business day deadline. For example, if on 5/19/2020 you used a personal credit card to pay for a campaign advertisement totalling $500, you must report a $500 contribution from yourself within 31 or 7-business days of 5/19/2020. For more information on reporting contributions, please see the Candidates and Officeholders Quick Guide.
 
Created: 5/14/2019 Last Modified: 6/29/2021

Can PACs and PICs give to each other?

PACs can give money to PICs, but PICs cannot give money to PACs in accordance with 20A-11-601.
 
Created: 5/14/2019 Last Modified: 5/14/2019

Do advertisements have to say “Paid for by…”?

A person, including parties, PACs, PICs and labor organizations must clearly state that they paid for an advertisement related to a ballot proposition, or that they authorized the advertisement (if paid for by another entity or person) in accordance with 20A-11-901.

Created: 5/14/2019 Last Modified: 5/14/2019

Do corporations need to report expenditures made to county or municipal candidates?

Corporations are exempt from reporting political expenditures made to county candidates, or municipal candidates (corporations are currently exempted from reporting political expenditures made to state candidates and political action committees).
 
Created: 5/14/2019 Last Modified: 5/14/2019

Do I need a separate bank account and EIN?

Every entity is required to have a separate bank account.

As a best practice, candidates may want to register an employer identification number (EIN) to open this account. The Lieutenant Governor’s Office cannot provide this number. Refer to the IRS’s website for more information.
 
Created: 9/25/2017 Last Modified: 9/25/2017

Do PACs have to identify independent expenditures on their ledger?

Yes, PACs are required to identify independent expenditures on their ledger.  They can currently do this by entering one of two things on their ledger, either 1) put that its an independent expenditure in the section which asks about “Name of Payee” or 2) put it in the section for the “Specific Purpose.”  
 
 
Example: 
 
Name of Payee → “Independent Expenditure to Advertising Agency for Candidate Name”
 
Specific Purpose → “Independent Expenditure for Candidate Name”
 
Created: 5/14/2019 Last Modified: 5/14/2019

How do I amend or un-submit a report?

To amend a report, go to the financial ledger. Click on the "Show Details" button on the left side of the ledger. This will show all transactions entered under a specific reporting period.

Click on the row you need to amend. The row will then highlight in yellow and on the end of the row an "Amend" button will appear. Click this button and amend the transaction as needed. Once the transaction is saved the amendment will automatically show on the filed report.

If you need to make changes to a filed report before the reporting deadline, please contact our office, and we can un-submit the report for you.

Created: 6/8/2012 Last Modified: 5/6/2015

How do I close out my account?

In order to close out your account your ledger will need to be brought to $0 if there is a remaining balance.

For candidates: once the ledger has been brought to $0, you can close out your account by selecting the "close account" link at the top of the Manage Folder page.  Leftover funds can be expended in accordance with UCA 20A-11-104.

  • Go to the My Folder tab
  • Select Manage Folder within the entity details box
  • Click the "close account" link at the top of the page and file the Statement of Dissolution.

For PACs: leftover funds may be expended in accordance with UCA 20A-11-601(7).  Once the ledger is at $0, please email disclosure@utah.gov or call 801-538-1041 to close the account.

For other reporting entities: please email disclosure@utah.gov or call 801-538-1041 to close the account.

Created: 1/20/2023 Last Modified: 1/20/2023

How do I register a new entity (PIC, PAC, Corp, etc.)?

You will first need to create a new user. If you already have a username you will need to log in.

Once you have created your user you will click on create entity. Choose the type of entity you would like to register. Fill in the required information on the form. PACs and PICs -- make sure to click "Remove" on the additional fields you do not intend to fill out.

Once you have entered the required information, click "Save." Your information will be submitted for approval. You will receive an email letting you know the status of your registration within 5 business days.

Please note that candidates and political parties must call the Lt. Governor's Office to have their entity created.

Created: 6/8/2012 Last Modified: 6/29/2015

How do I submit a 31 day contribution report?

Candidates, officeholders, PICs, and PACs must report all contributions within 31 days of receiving the contribution. To make this report, simply enter the contribution information into the financial ledger and click Save. Once a contribution is saved to the ledger, you have fulfilled the 31 day reporting requirement. You do not need to hit the "file report" button until the report is complete with all transactions.

Created: 1/4/2012 Last Modified: 4/9/2019

How do I submit a report?

To submit a report you will log into your account and go to the Financial Ledger (found in "My Folder").

Input the required contributions and/or expenditure into the financial ledger.

Once you have inputted everything into the ledger, click the "File Report" button on the far right of the ledger.

If you have a large number of transactions you may also submit a report using the Excel import sheet. This sheet can be found on the bottom right corner of the financial ledger. Follow the instructions found on the import sheet.

Created: 6/8/2012 Last Modified: 5/6/2015

How do in-kind contributions affect my balance?

Prior to January 1, 2015, an in-kind contribution required the user to add a matching expenditure in order to "offset" the contribution and balance the ledger.

As of January 1, 2015,* a user will not need to offset an in-kind contribution. Please note that while the in-kind amount is displayed, it will not be included in the running totals or the balances. For example, if you have a $0 balance and receive a $200 in-kind contribution of internet services on July 4, 2015, you will simply add a $200 contribution to your ledger, check the in-kind box, and add a comment regarding the internet services. Your balance will remain $0 (the original amount).

As a reminder, an in-kind contribution is “anything of value, other than money, that is accepted by or coordinated with a filing entity” (Utah Code 20A-11-101(24)).

*January 1, 2015 is related to the contribution date, not the date a contribution is added to the ledger. If a user logs in today and inputs a transaction with a contribution date prior to January 1, 2015, the user would still need to offset the in-kind transaction by adding an identical expenditure. If you already offset an in-kind contribution in 2015, the Lieutenant Governor’s Office will fix the offset to reflect your proper balance.

Click here to read more.

Created: 7/22/2015 Last Modified: 3/31/2017

I'm a candidate - how do I report my transactions?

If you are a legislative, state office, or state school board candidate, please follow these steps:
1. Create a new user.
2. Create your candidate account by selecting create entity and then selecting candidates & officeholders. We will need the following information:
     - Full name
     - Full residential address
     - Office sought (e.g., House District 105)
     - Political party
3. Use the financial ledger to add contributions and expenditures, and File Reports.

Created: 1/22/2018 Last Modified: 12/30/2020

I've created a new user, why can't I see the financial ledger?

Your username must be tied to your entity account.

If you are a candidate, the Lt. Governor's Office has likely created your account for you. Please contact our office and we can tie your username to your account.

If you are creating a new user to be tied to an existing Corporation, PAC or PIC please contact our office.

Created: 6/8/2012 Last Modified: 6/29/2015

What are the financial disclosure reporting dates for 2022?

Click here for 2022 disclosure dates.

(Or view deadlines for 2021, 20202019201820172016, or 2015.)

Created: 6/8/2012 Last Modified: 10/20/2022

What does “in-kind” mean?

“In-kind contribution" means anything of value, other than money, that is accepted by or coordinated with a filing entity.”  See Utah Code 20A-11-101(24). Any entity has the option to check an “In-kind” box when adding a contribution to their ledger if the contribution meets the statutory definition.

Each in-kind contribution requires an explanatory comment (e.g. “Internet services”).

Created: 7/22/2015 Last Modified: 7/22/2015

What does “PSA” mean?

PSA (public service assistance) is aid given to an officeholder to defray officeholder costs. For the complete definition please see Utah Code 20A-11-101(45). An officeholder has the option to check the “PSA” box for any contribution added to their ledger that meets the statutory definition.

A contribution marked PSA does not require an additional comment.  If an officeholder would like to add a comment regarding a PSA they should use the Optional Comment box. 

Created: 7/22/2015 Last Modified: 7/22/2015

What is the Optional Comment box?

This new box allows a user to add an additional comment to any contribution. Any information that is entered will be publicly viewable. Please limit your comments to 255 characters. If a comment exceeds this limit, the system will not save your information.

A PSA does not require a comment.  If a candidate/officeholder would like to add a comment regarding a PSA they received they should use the Optional Comment box. In-kind contributions require a comment in the “in-kind comment” box.

Created: 7/22/2015 Last Modified: 7/22/2015

When do candidates and officeholders need to file a conflict of interest form?

Conflict of Interest forms are due before someone declares candidacy, regularly each year for Constitutional, Legislative, and State School Board officeholders and when/if these officeholders change employment.

Created: 5/14/2019 Last Modified: 5/14/2019

Where are the tabs for contributions or expenditures in the import sheet?

The contribution and expenditure sheets are “hidden” until a user selects the appropriate entity type from the drop-down menu on the information tab.

Because different entity types have different statutory requirements a user must choose the appropriate entity type prior to inputting contributions or expenditures.

If you choose to file reports using the import sheet rather than using the ledger, please only use the latest version. You can download this directly through your financial ledger.

Click here to read more.

Created: 7/22/2015 Last Modified: 3/31/2017

Where can I find a glossary of terms?

For campaign and financial reporting terms and definitions, click here.

For a description of the detailed listing categories, click here.

For lobbyist disclosure terms and definitions, click here.

Created: 5/19/2015 Last Modified: 6/29/2021

Where can I find financial disclosure requirements? / What are my reporting requirements?

Click here for the Lieutenant Governor's Elections website or click here for the Utah State Code.
 

Candidates & Officeholders:
Quick Guide
More details on elections.utah.gov

County Political Parties:
Quick Guide
More details on elections.utah.gov

Political Action Committees (PACs):
Quick Guide
More details on elections.utah.gov

Political Issues Committees (PICs):
Quick Guide
More details on elections.utah.gov

Created: 6/8/2012 Last Modified: 6/29/2021

Who can exercise primary decision-making authority on a PIC?

Only an individual who is designated as one of the two officers for that PIC can exercise primary decision-making authority.  
 
Created: 5/14/2019 Last Modified: 5/14/2019