Forming a Political Action Committee (PAC) in Oregon¶
Links¶
- Oregon PAC Registration Form & Instructions (SEL 221)
- Oregon Campaign Finance Manual (PDF, includes PAC info) from which the text below was extracted
What is a Political Action Committee?¶
A political action committee (PAC) is a combination of two or more individuals, or a person other than an individual, that receives a contribution or makes an expenditure for the purpose of supporting or opposing a candidate, measure, or political party. Each PAC must establish a campaign account at an Oregon financial institution and file a Statement of Organization.
When to Create a Political Action Committee¶
The treasurer of a PAC must file a Statement of Organization no later than three business days after first receiving a contribution or making an expenditure.
Exceptions to Creating a Political Action Committee¶
You do not need to create a PAC if you are:
- A person who solicits and receives contributions designated to an identified candidate or political committee, which are forwarded to a committee within seven business days of receipt;
- A person who makes a contribution to a candidate or committee that is required to disclose the receipt of the contribution or has filed a Certificate of Limited Contributions and Expenditures;
- A group or organization formed to support or oppose a petition that is not certified to the ballot because it has not qualified as a measure or the governing body has not filed the Notice of Measure Election with the local filing officer.
However, a group or organization that intends to support or oppose a measure or petition must file as a PAC when the petition is certified as a measure. If a group or organization is soliciting contributions and making expenditures prior to forming a PAC, it must keep track of all activity so that it can report all initial assets when the committee is filed.
Responsibilities and Liability¶
- The treasurer of a PAC must be an Oregon elector.
- The treasurer is legally responsible for:
- Establishing and maintaining a dedicated campaign account in an Oregon financial institution for depositing contributions and making expenditures;
- Signing and filing a Statement of Organization;
- Attesting to and filing transactions;
- Keeping detailed financial records current to within seven business days after the date of receiving a contribution or making an expenditure;
- Preserving records as described in “Retention of Records.”
The treasurer is personally responsible and liable for all required duties until an amended Statement of Organization is filed appointing a new treasurer.
A PAC may also have a Civil Penalty Designee who assumes liability for any penalty imposed for late or insufficient transactions. The Civil Penalty Designee must be named on the Statement of Organization, agree to be legally responsible, and sign the Statement. The Civil Penalty Designee must be an Oregon elector and is responsible for paying civil penalties until removed or replaced on the Statement of Organization.