Multicandidate status
A qualified multicandidate committee may give a candidate up to $5,000 per election. A PAC generally qualifies as a multicandidate committee once it has:
Received contributions from at least 51 persons,
Been registered with the FEC for at least six months and
Made contributions to at least five federal candidates.
An SSF that is affiliated with a committee that has met these criteria also qualifies as a multicandidate committee and shares that committee’s $5,000 per-candidate limit.
Reporting on PAC forms
Political action committees that qualify for multicandidate status file the “Notification of Multicandidate Status” on Form 1M. The Form 1M must be filed within 10 days of the date that the committee meets the criteria for multicandidate status.
Critical Reason PAC qualified as a multicandidate PAC and reports giving contributions to 5 candidates, which office the candidate is running for, the state and congressional district (if applicable) and the date the contribution was given. The PAC also includes the date it received its 51st contribution, the date it registered with the FEC, and the date it met the qualification requirements.
Mark multicandidate status on reports
The treasurer must also indicate that the committee has qualified as a multicandidate committee on the Summary Page of each report (Form 3X).
Now that Critical Reason PAC is a multicandidate committee, it will check the multicandidate box when it files reports on the Form 3X.
Notifying candidate committees
When making contributions to candidates, a multicandidate committee must give the recipient candidate or campaign committee a written notification that it has qualified as a multicandidate committee. For convenience, the statement may be pre-printed on the committee’s checks, letterhead or other appropriate materials.
Reporting with FECFile
To create a Notification of Multicandidate Status (Form 1M), go to the Reports tab, go to “Edit” and select “New.” Select the report type “Form 1M (Notification of Multicandidate Status.”
To update the data file so that the multicandidate box is checked on reports submitted by the committee, go to the Individuals/Organizations tab, double click on the committee’s info on the first line, and check the “Multi-Candidate” box in the top right.
