This guide is intended only as a summary to aid understanding of the Campaign Finance Disclosure Law. For the Law's complete requirements, consult the Law itself, codified at Chapter 130 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri.

About the Missouri Campaign Finance Law

I.  Registering a Committee

A person or any combination of persons, who accept contributions or make expenditures for the purpose of attempting to influence the action of voters, and if they exceed certain dollar thresholds must file reports with the "appropriate filing officer". The types of committees are as follows:

Candidate
  • formed by one candidate
  • candidate may have only one committee per office sought
Continuing
  • not formed, controlled or directed by a candidate
  • is of continuing existence and supports various candidates and/or ballot issues
  • must be formed no later than 60 days prior to the election at which it accepts contributions or makes expenditures
  • includes but is not limited to political action committees, business entity, labor organization, professional association, clubs, any individual or group of individuals who accept and use contributions to attempt to influence the action of voters.
Campaign
  • formed by an individual (other than a candidate) or group of individuals to support or oppose the qualification and passage of one or more particular ballot measures in an election or the retention of judges under the nonpartisan court plan
  • must be formed no later than 30 days prior to the election for which the committee receives contributions or makes expenditures.
  • shall terminate the later of 30 days after the election or upon the satisfaction of all committee debt after the general election.
Political Party
  • formed by a state, district, county, city, or area committee of a political party as defined in Section 115.603, RSMo.
  • may be organized as a not for profit corporation under Mo. law
Exploratory
  • formed by an individual to receive contributions and make expenditures on behalf of the individual in determining whether or not the individual seeks elective office
  • shall terminate no later than December 31st of the year prior to the general election for the possible office
Debt Service
  • a candidate may convert their committee to a debt service committee if the committee report filed 30 days after the election reflects outstanding obligations in excess of moneys on hand
  • shall terminate the committee when the contributions received exceed the amount of the debt
  • no debt service committee shall be in existence more than 18 months
  • after converting an existing committee to a debt service committee, a candidate may also form a new candidate committee for an upcoming election

See candidate and committee definitions for contribution and expenditure thresholds requiring registration

The Form - Statement of Committee Organization

To register the committee files a Statement of Committee Organization (form MO 300-1308). The Statement of Committee Organization forms may be obtained from the Missouri Ethics Commission or from any local election authority. The treasurer acting on behalf of a committee shall file a statement of organization with the appropriate officer within 20 days after the person or committee becomes a committee but no later than the deadline for the committee’s first disclosure report required pursuant to Section 130.046 RSMo.

The committee is required to amend its Statement of Committee Organization if information presented on the form changes. The amended Statement of Committee Organization shall be filed within 20 days after the change occurs, but no later than the date for filing of the next report required to be filed by that committee pursuant to Section 130.046 RSMo.

II.  Filing Information

A committee discloses its campaign finances on campaign disclosure reporting statements. These reporting statements consist of a cover sheet, and a series of schedules that itemize the committee’s receipts, expenditures and debts, a Summary Page, and a special purpose schedule that details fund raisers held by the committee. Statements are required to be filed as outline below:
  • 8 days before election day for period closing the 12th day before an election; and
  • 30 days after election day for period closing the 25th day after an election; and
  • Quarterly disclosure report no later than 15th day after end of calendar quarter.  January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 15.
  • A committee may file a Statement of Limited Activity in Lieu of Disclosure (form MO 300-1318) for any reporting period listed above in which the contributions or expenditures do not exceed $500 for the reporting period. Any contribution or expenditure not reported because this statement of limited activity is filed, shall be included in the next full disclosure report filed by the committee.
  • If any committee accepts contributions or makes expenditures in support of or in opposition to a ballot measure or a candidate, and the quarterly disclosure report of the committee is filed prior to the fortieth day before the election, the committee shall file an additional disclosure report not later than the 40th day before the election for the period closing on the 45th day before the election.
  • All committees shall electronically report to the Missouri Ethics Commission within 48 hours the receipt of any contribution by a single contributor which exceeds $5,000. A special form to report the contribution may be found on the Commission's web site.

Late Contribution Reports
The receipt of a late contribution (one received before the election but after the 12th day before the election) of more than $250 shall be reported to the appropriate officer no later than 24 hours after receipt. Disclosure may be made by any written means, setting forth the name and address of the contributor and the amount of the contribution. The contribution shall also be included in subsequent reports without regard to this special report.

A continuing committee shall submit additional reports if it makes aggregate expenditures, other than contributions to a committee, of $500 or more, within the reporting period at the following times for the following periods:
  1. Not later than the 8th day before an election for the period closing on the 12th day before the election;
  2. Not later than 24 hours after aggregate expenditures of $250 or more are made after the 12th day before the election; and
  3. Not later than the 30th day after an election for a period closing on the 25th day after the election.

Fax Filings
The Missouri Ethics Commission pursuant to statute has determined that all reports filed on paper shall contain an original signature and therefore Fax Filings will not be accepted by the office.

III.  About Contributions

Contributions are the funds (including a candidate’s own funds), goods and services donated to the committee. The committee is required to record all contributions and other receipts received and report them on Contributions and Loans Received forms (MO 300-1312). All funds received by the committee must be deposited in the committee’s official depository.

A committee domiciled in Missouri, that receives a contribution of $1500 or more from any committee domiciled outside Missouri, shall file a disclosure report with the commission. The report shall disclose the full name, mailing address, telephone numbers and domicile of the contributing committee and the date and amount of the contribution. The report shall be filed within 48 hours of the receipt of such contribution if the contribution is received after the last reporting date before the election.

Prohibited Contributions
  1. A candidate or any committee may not accept cash contributions in excess of $100.
  2. A committee may not accept any contribution without obtaining the name, address, employer or occupation if self-employed, of each person from whom the committee received one or more contributions which in the aggregate total in excess of $25.
  3. The maximum aggregate amount of anonymous contributions which may be accepted in any calendar year by any committee shall be the greater of $500 or 1% of the aggregate amount of all contributions received by that committee in the same calendar year.

Returning Contributions
Unless a contribution is rejected by the candidate or committee and returned to the donor or transmitted to the state treasurer within ten business days after its receipt, it shall be considered received and accepted on the date received, notwithstanding the fact that it was not deposited by the closing date of a reporting period.

IV.  About Expenditures and Incidental Expense Disbursements

Expenditures are anything of monetary value spent by the committee to influence the nomination or election of the candidate (including a candidate’s own funds) or the qualification, passage or defeat of a ballot measure. The committee is required to record all expenditures and incidental expense disbursements and report them on Expenditures and Contributions Made form (MO 300-1315).

A report shall disclose the full name and mailing address of each person to whom an expenditure of money or any other thing of value in the amount of more than $100 has been made, contracted for or incurred.

Expenditures of $100 or less may be grouped and listed by categories of expenditure, except that the report shall contain an itemized listing of each payment made to campaign workers by name, address, date, amount and purpose of each payment and the aggregate amount paid to each such worker.

Except for expenditures from a petty cash fund which is established and maintained by withdrawals of funds from the committee’s depository account and with records maintained in accordance with the recordkeeping requirements of Section 130.036 to account for expenditures made from petty cash, each expenditure of more than $50, except an in-kind expenditure, shall be made by check drawn on the committee’s depository and signed by the committee treasurer, deputy treasurer or candidate.

V.  The Identification Requirement

Missouri’s Campaign Finance Law requires any person publishing, circulating, or distributing any printed matter relative to any candidate for public office or any ballot measure to have on the face of the printed matter the person who paid for the printed matter with the words "Paid for by" followed by the proper identification of the sponsor.
  • If the printed matter is paid for by a candidate, from personal funds, print the first and last name by which the candidate is known.
  • If the printed matter is paid for by a committee, print the name of the committee as required to be registered by the Missouri campaign finance law, the name and title of the committee treasurer who was serving when the printed matter was paid for.
  • If the printed matter is paid for by a corporation or other business entity, labor organization, or any other organization not defined to be a committee and not organized especially for influencing one or more elections, print the name of the principal officer of the entity, by whatever title known, and the mailing address of the entity.
  • If the printed matter is paid for by an individual or individuals, print the name of the individual or individuals and the respective mailing address or addresses. If more than five individuals join in paying it shall be sufficient to print the words: "For a list of sponsors contact:" followed by the name and address of one such individual who shall be responsible for causing the matter to be printed and the individual identified shall maintain a record of the names and amounts paid by other individuals.

For the purpose of the campaign finance law, printed matter does not include any items of personal use given away or sold, such as campaign buttons, pins, pens, pencils, book matches, campaign jewelry, or clothing, which is paid for by a candidate or committee which supports/opposes a ballot issue or candidate and which is obvious in its identification with a specific candidate or committee, and the cost of it is reported as required law.

Any broadcast station transmitting any matter relative to any candidate for public office or ballot measure shall identify the sponsor of such matter as required by federal law.

Persons causing matter to be printed or broadcast concerning federal candidates must comply with the requirements of federal law for identification of the sponsor.

VI.  Dissolving a Committee

Upon termination of a committee, a Committee Termination Statement (MO 300-1317) indicating dissolution shall be filed not later than ten days after the date of dissolution with the appropriate officer or officers with whom the committee’s statement of organization was filed.

The termination statement shall include: the distribution made of any remaining surplus funds and the disposition of any deficits; and the name, mailing address and telephone number of the individual responsible for preserving the committee’s records and accounts as required by law.

Along with the termination statement, the treasurer shall attach to the Committee Termination Statement a complete disclosure report for the period closing on the date of dissolution.