D-5 NOTICE OF OBLIGATION
TO: All Candidates for Nomination, Election or Retention to Public Office and for Questions of Public Policy
This letter is to officially notify you of your filing obligation under Article 9 of the Election Code (An Act to Regulate Campaign Financing).
ALL CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING THE D-1 STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATION, MUST BE FILED
WITH THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS ONLY.
The Act requires a political committee to file a form D-1, Statement of Organization, within 10 business days of the creation of such
committee, except any political committee created within the 30 days before an election must file a Statement of Organization within 2
business days. Required forms and A Guide to Campaign Disclosure are available from the Board offices and online. Failure to file or
late filing of a Statement of Organization will result in a civil penalty being imposed by the Board.
Committees who must file fall within five categories: Candidate Political Committee, Political Party Committee, Political Action Committee, Ballot
Initiative Committee, or Independent Expenditure Committee.
10 ILCS 5/9-1.8 Political Committees
Candidate Political Committee: means the candidate himself or herself or any natural person, trust, partnership, corporation, or
other organization or group of persons designated by the candidate that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12
month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5000 on behalf of the candidate.
Political Party Committee: means the State central committee of a political party, a county central committee of a political party, a
legislative caucus committee, or a committee formed by a ward or township committeeman of a political party. A legislative caucus
committee means a committee established for the purpose of electing candidates to the General Assembly by the person elected
President of the Senate, Minority Leader of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives, or a committee established by 5 or more members of the same caucus of the Senate or 10 or more members of the
same caucus of the House of Representatives.
Political Action Committee: means any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association corporation, or other organization
or group of persons, other than a candidate, political party, candidate political committee, or political party committee, that accepts
contributions or makes expenditures during any 12 month period in an aggregate of amount exceeding $5000 on behalf of or in
opposition to a candidate or candidates for political office. Political Action Committee includes any natural person, trust, partnership,
committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons, other than a candidate, political party, candidate
political committee, or political party committee, that makes electioneering communications during any 12 month period in an
aggregate amount exceeding $5000 related to any candidate or candidates for public office.
Ballot Initiative Committee: means any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization
or group of persons that accepts contributions or makes expenditures during any 12 month period in an aggregate amount exceeding
$5000 in support of or in opposition to any question of public policy to be submitted to the electors. Ballot initiative committee
includes any natural person, trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons that
makes electioneering communications during any 12 month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5000 related to any question
of public policy to be submitted to the voters. The $5000 threshold applies to any contributions or expenditures received or made
with the purpose of securing a place on the ballot for, advocating the defeat or passage of, or engaging in electioneering
communication regarding the question of public policy, regardless of the method of initiation of the question of public policy and
regardless of whether petitions have been circulated or filed with the appropriate office or whether the question has been adopted and
certified by the governing body.
Independent Expenditure Committee: means any trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or
group of persons formed for the exclusive purpose of making independent expenditures during any 12-month period in an aggregate
amount exceeding $5000 in support of or in opposition to (i) the nomination for election, election, retention, or defeat of any public
official or candidate or (ii) any question of public policy to be submitted to the electors. "Independent expenditure committee" also
includes any trust, partnership, committee, association, corporation, or other organization or group of persons that makes
electioneering communications that are not made in connection, consultation, or concert with or at the request or suggestion of a
public official or candidate, a public official's or candidate's designated political committee or campaign, or an agent or agents of the
public official, candidate, or political committee or campaign during any 12-month period in an aggregate amount exceeding $5000
related to (i) the nomination for election, election, retention, or defeat of any public official or candidate or (ii) any question of public
policy to be submitted to the voters.
www.elections.il.gov
Revised 7/29/13