Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party

All registered entities with the Campaign Finance Board are required to start using the software with the 1^st report in 2012 which is the pre-primary. There will be very few waivers given and will be at the discretion of the Board. My goal is to train as many people as possible yet this year when things are a lot slower and before the rush begins next year. For those not planning on being treasurers anymore, they can help by “paying it forward” and train in their successor.

This page is a 1-stop online shop for Campaign Finance and treasurer resources such as manuals, videos and other things that I think would be of interest.

I have also included resources for units and candidates who file with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Any comments, questions, or suggestions feel free to contact me at treasurer@dfl.org

Tom Hamilton, State Party Treasurer

PS. A very special thank you to my friend, State Director Jeremy Powers, who helped me with this page.

Campaign Finance Board links:

Home page

Software download - This page has the download and all the instructions needed to set the program up.

Campaign Finance software manual - This Guide is intended to assist political committees, political funds, principal campaign committees, and party units to comply with the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 10A.

Party unit handbook - This Handbook is intended to aid treasurers in meeting the requirements of Minn. Stat. Chapter 10A, the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Act. Chapter 10A and Minn. Rules Chapters 4501 and 4503 should be consulted as needed for fuller explanation. All forms listed in the Handbook may be downloaded from the Board’s Website.

Candidate handbook:

The Campaign Finance Board is currently revising this handbook. Basic information on reporting requirements is available at:

http://www.cfboard.state.mn.us/cand_report.htm.

Please contact Joyce Larson at 651-282-6894 with any specific questions.

Here is a link to an older version of the Candidate handbook  CFB-House-candidate-guide  

Federal Election Commission links:

Party Unit Resources : This Campaign Guide for Political Party Committees, and the supplement, summarizes the federal campaign finance laws applicable to political party committees as of July 2009. For more detailed information, please consult the Federal Election Campaign Act and FEC regulations, available from the Commission and online at www.fec.gov 

FEC Party unit guidlines

Candidate Resources : This Campaign Guide for Congressional Candidates and Committees, and the supplement, summarizes the federal campaign finance laws applicable to candidate committees as of August 2011.

FEC candidate guide

FEC Record - The FEC Record is an on-line resource for political committees and others interested in latest information on the Commission and the federal campaign finance law. Until August 2011, the Commission published theRecord as a monthly newsletter. Now, the agency posts articles as news happens, then compiles those articles at then end of each month. 

FEC Record

Best Practices:

This document was created as a result of a situation that happened in the 7th Senate District. Thank you for allowing me to publish this.

7th SD fiscal policies 

This document was created by Tim Bonham, longtime treasurer of Senate District 62 and Minneapolis DFL and now the 5th Congressional District. Parts of this document are no longer relevant as some of the laws have changed(ie. Political Contribution Refund program). I have left his document intact as he wrote it. Any views or opinions expressed are his.

Advice for a new Political Campaign Treasurer 

Following are examples of budgeting tools that have been used by various committees.

I am always open to new ideas for best practices.

Please feel free to send them to me at treasurer@dfl.org so they can be shared.

Newsworthy:

Statement of Guidance regarding the provision of underlying source disclosure 
when an association not registered with the Board contributes or transfers 
general treasury money to a registered political committee or fund 
that limits its activities to those to promote or defeat a ballot question. 

http://www.cfboard.state.mn.us/Revocation_of_AO_257_343.pdf