Post-Primary Campaign Finance Filings
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.
Candidate Committee Post-Election Reports and What Comes Next
Campaign finance compliance can be deceptively complex. I appreciate Dome Magazine’s commitment to providing legislators and staff with practical, timely information—and the opportunity to contribute updates here.
I’ve guided candidates, PACs, and organizations through Michigan campaign-finance filings for more than 25 years. My goal is to explain not just what is due, but why, along with common pitfalls and practical compliance tips. Check back as deadlines approach—we’ll keep this guidance current as state schedules and election activity evolve.
Candidate Committees (CTE)
The August 4, 2026 Primary Election has passed, but candidate committees that participated in the primary have another important filing deadline ahead.
Post-Election Campaign Statement
A candidate committee whose candidate appeared on the August 4 primary ballot must file a Post-Election Campaign Statement.
• Close of books: August 24, 2026
• Filing deadline: September 3, 2026
The Post-Election Statement covers activity through August 24 and is required regardless of whether the candidate won or lost the primary.
A candidate who was unsuccessful in the primary does not simply stop filing after the election. The committee remains subject to the Post-Election filing requirement and must continue reporting until its obligations under the Michigan Campaign Finance Act are satisfied.
The post-primary period is also an important time to reconcile bank activity, verify outstanding contributions and expenditures, review unpaid bills and in-kind activity, and make sure all transactions have been properly entered before filing.
For candidates who lost the primary, this is a good time to consider whether the committee should remain active or begin the process of winding down. A committee should not simply stop filing because the candidate is no longer on the ballot.
Candidates Advancing to the General Election
Candidates who won their August 4 primary and will appear on the November 3, 2026 General Election ballot have additional election-related filing requirements.
The November General Election schedule is:
• Pre-Election close of books: October 18, 2026
• Pre-Election filing deadline: October 23, 2026
• LCR period: October 19–31, 2026
• Post-Election close of books: November 23, 2026
• Post-Election filing deadline: December 3, 2026
Committees should not assume that completing the September Post-Election Statement satisfies their remaining 2026 obligations. Candidates advancing to the General Election should immediately move to the next reporting cycle.
Candidates Who Did Not Participate in the August Primary
Not every candidate committee will have an August Post-Election Statement.
A committee’s filing obligations depend on whether its candidate participated in the election and on the committee’s applicable reporting status. Committees that did not participate in the August 4 election should review the Bureau of Elections’ Campaign Finance Statement Logic to determine which regularly scheduled statements apply. The Bureau specifically notes that not all statements listed on the filing calendar are owed by every committee type.
Late Contribution Reports (LCRs)
The August 4 primary LCR period has now closed.
For candidate committees participating in the August 4 primary, the LCR period ran from July 20 through August 1, 2026. Contributions meeting the applicable reporting threshold during that period were required to be reported within 48 hours of receipt.
The next LCR period for candidates participating in the November 3 General Election will run:
October 19–31, 2026
Contributions meeting the applicable threshold during that period must be reported within 48 hours of receipt.
Because LCR requirements differ by committee type and triggering activity, committees should review the applicable Michigan Campaign Finance Act requirements rather than assume that every contribution requires an LCR.
Contribution Limits
Contribution limits are tied to election cycles and the office sought. Independent PACs may give up to ten times the applicable individual contribution limit, subject to the applicable statutory requirements. Limits are adjusted every four years.
Current official state-level limits are published by the Michigan Bureau of Elections. Committees should confirm the applicable limit before accepting or making contributions, particularly as candidates move from the primary into the General Election cycle.
Final Notes
The post-primary period is an important time for committees to reconcile their records, complete required reporting, and establish a clear plan for the remainder of the election cycle.
This article is intended as a guide. Every filing situation is fact-specific, and compliance obligations can change based on election participation, committee activity, reporting waivers, and statutory updates.
Questions: LFarnum@farnuminc.com
Michigan Bureau of Elections: MDOS-CampaignFinance@michigan.gov
Consult legal counsel as appropriate.
The Michigan Bureau of Elections’ current campaign finance filing dates and reporting resources are available through the Department of State.
