October Filings Due for Candidate Committees & PACs
Lisa Farnum, MPP is President of L Farnum, Inc., a firm that specializes in PAC compliance, research and project management. Lisa has been helping clients resolve campaign finance issues and maintain compliance for more than 23 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Northwood University and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan, Dearborn. Ms. Farnum has over 25 years of experience working with corporations and non-profits.
Navigating compliance filings can be challenging, but with the right resources and guidance, it becomes manageable. As always, my goal is to provide clear, timely information to help Legislators and their staff stay compliant. With over 24 years of experience in campaign finance filings, I aim to provide you with insights, helpful tips, and pitfalls to avoid.
Candidate Committees
If the candidate is not seeking election in 2025:
Close of books: October 20, 2025
Due date: October 27, 2025
Unless your committee has/still qualifies for a waiver * Report coverage dates can vary based on your last filing.
If the candidate is seeking election in November 2025: see Pre-/Post-Election dates and 48-hour reports (page 2):
https://www.michigan.gov/sos/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/05delrio/CFR_Quick_Dates.pdf?rev=5bdde625281440349f565e6e06da3091&hash=BB4F5F639AE40EE0B772C494AFAE8B04
You can find the quarterly filing schedule at the same link.
Tip: Keep a running calendar with close dates, due dates, and a checklist of late-activity triggers.
Political Action Committees, Independent Political Committees & Independent Expenditure Committees
2025 due dates: January 31, April 25, July 25, and October 27.
October coverage period for PACs: July 21, 2025 – October 20, 2025
Filing deadline: October 27, 2025
Unless your committee has/still qualifies for a waiver.
New Contribution Limits
Contribution limits are tied to election cycles and the office sought. Longer cycles have higher limits.
Example: Senate (4-year cycle): $2,450 individual limit
Example: House (2-year cycle): $1,225 individual limit
Independent PAC limits are 10× the individual limit (i.e., $24,500 for Senate; $12,250 for House).
These are adjusted every four years.
Political Committees, Independent Committees, Independent Expenditure Committees, Political Party Committees, and Ballot Question Committees may receive unlimited amounts from a legal source.
Your committee’s limits:
https://www.michigan.gov/sos/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/CFR-Limits/State-Level-Office-Supreme-Court-Contribution-Limits-Jan2023.pdf?rev=2004d4520be14560802c5d068eef6b7c&hash=93965DDE3D5121DA59FBC614258FF8BF
The content above is a guide. Every filing situation is different.
Questions: LFarnum@farnuminc.com • Bureau of Elections: https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/disclosure/cfr • Consult your attorney as needed.
Summary
October due dates for PACs, and Candidate Committees
Election cycles and how they impact limits
New contribution limits effective January 2025
(For internal discussion – optional statutory note)
Contribution Limit Adjustment:
Per MCL 169.246, dollar amounts in MCL 169.252, 169.252a, 169.269 were adjusted effective January 1, 2023, for a period of four years.
Please visit the Contribution Limits page for updated limits.
