====== Virginia Campaign Finance — Process Guide ====== //Part of: [[virginia|Virginia — Commonwealth Process Guide]] → Elections & Voter Registration// This page maps the campaign finance disclosure process for candidates and political committees in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is governed primarily by **[[https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title24.2/chapter9.3/|Title 24.2, Chapter 9.3 — Campaign Finance Disclosure Act of 2006]]** (§§ 24.2-945 et seq.) and administered by the **[[https://www.elections.virginia.gov/candidatepac-info/campaign-finance-disclosure-act/|Department of Elections (ELECT)]]** and local general registrars / electoral boards. ===== I. Primary Law References ===== * **Campaign Finance Disclosure Act of 2006** — Code of Virginia [[https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title24.2/chapter9.3/|Title 24.2, Ch. 9.3]] (§§ 24.2-945 through 24.2-953.4) * **Statement of organization of committee** — [[https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/24.2-947.1/|§ 24.2-947.1]] * **Reports of contributions and expenditures (candidates)** — [[https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/24.2-947.3/|§ 24.2-947.3]] and [[https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/24.2-947.4/|§ 24.2-947.4]] * **Large pre-election contribution reports** — [[https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/24.2-947.9/|§ 24.2-947.9]] * **Prohibited contributions (during session / public funds)** — [[https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/24.2-947.5/|§ 24.2-947.5]], [[https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/24.2-945.2/|§ 24.2-945.2]] * **Civil penalties / enforcement** — [[https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/24.2-953/|§ 24.2-953]] et seq. * **Where to file (state vs. local)** — [[https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/24.2-948.1/|§ 24.2-948.1]] ===== II. Who Must File ===== Any candidate for state or local office, and any political committee (political action committee, political party committee, referendum committee, or inaugural committee), is subject to the Act. A candidate who **receives contributions or makes expenditures exceeding $200** in a calendar year, or who accepts a single contribution over $200, must organize a campaign committee and file a Statement of Organization under § 24.2-947.1. Reports are filed electronically with ELECT for state-wide and General Assembly candidates, and with the local general registrar for local offices (§ 24.2-948.1). ===== III. Process Model (BPMN + DMN decision points) ===== The diagram below models the full campaign-finance compliance lifecycle, from forming a committee through periodic disclosure filing and committee close-out. Decision points (rendered as exclusive gateways) encode the **DMN-style choices** drawn from the Code of Virginia: the $200 committee-formation threshold, the applicable filing schedule, the large pre-election contribution trigger, and the prohibited-contribution screen. Each gateway label cites its governing section. A candidate or political committee starts raising or spending money for a Virginia election. This begins the campaign finance reporting lifecycle. Flow_1 Merge point: the initial start and the “keep filing” loop from an active committee rejoin here to continue tracking. Flow_1 Flow_Continue Flow_CycleAssess Begin recording every contribution received and every expenditure made. Tracking from day one is required to determine reporting thresholds. See Va. Code § 24.2-947.3. Flow_CycleAssess Flow_2 Decision: Has the candidate or committee raised or spent more than $200 in a calendar year? If not, no committee registration or disclosure reporting is required. See Va. Code §§ 24.2-945.1, 24.2-947.1. Flow_2 Flow_NoCommittee Flow_FormCommittee Activity stayed at or below $200 for the calendar year, so no committee registration or disclosure filing is required. Flow_NoCommittee File a Statement of Organization to formally register the campaign committee. See Va. Code § 24.2-947.1. Flow_FormCommittee Flow_3 Decision: Is the office sought a statewide or General Assembly office, or a local office? This determines where filings are submitted. See Va. Code § 24.2-948.1. Flow_3 Flow_State Flow_Local For statewide and General Assembly candidates, register and file electronically through the Virginia Department of Elections (ELECT) system. See Va. Code § 24.2-947.1. Flow_State Flow_4a For local offices, file with the local general registrar rather than the state electronic system. See Va. Code § 24.2-947.1. Flow_Local Flow_4b Merge point: both the statewide/GA and local registration paths rejoin the main process here. Flow_4a Flow_4b Flow_5 Decision: Is the contribution prohibited — for example a contribution received during the regular session ban, or a contribution of public funds? See Va. Code §§ 24.2-947.5, 24.2-945.2. Flow_5 Flow_Reject Flow_Accept If a contribution is prohibited, refuse it or refund it to the donor rather than keeping it. See Va. Code § 24.2-947.5. Flow_Reject Flow_RejectBack Merge point: the permitted-contribution path and the refused/refunded path rejoin before recording. Flow_Accept Flow_RejectBack Flow_MergeRecord For permitted contributions, record the contribution and itemize the donor's name, address, and other required details. See Va. Code § 24.2-947.3. Flow_MergeRecord Flow_6 Decision: Did a single source contribute more than $5,000 within the 12 days before an election? If so, an expedited report is required. See Va. Code § 24.2-947.9. Flow_6 Flow_LargeYes Flow_LargeNo File a large pre-election contribution report within 24 hours of receiving the qualifying contribution. See Va. Code § 24.2-947.9. Flow_LargeYes Flow_LargeBack Merge point: the large pre-election reporting path rejoins the main process here. Flow_LargeNo Flow_LargeBack Flow_7 Decision: Which periodic filing schedule applies — a pre-election report, an election-year periodic report, or a non-election-year annual report? See Va. Code §§ 24.2-947.3, 24.2-947.4. Flow_7 Flow_PreElect Flow_Periodic Flow_Annual File the pre-election disclosure report, generally due 8 days before a primary or general election. See Va. Code § 24.2-947.3. Flow_PreElect Flow_8a File the periodic disclosure report (for example quarterly or post-election) during an election year. See Va. Code § 24.2-947.3. Flow_Periodic Flow_8b In a non-election year, file the annual report by January 15. See Va. Code § 24.2-947.4. Flow_Annual Flow_8c Merge point: all filing-schedule paths rejoin before review. Flow_8a Flow_8b Flow_8c Flow_9 The Virginia Department of Elections (ELECT) reviews the filing and may assess a civil penalty if it is late or incomplete. See Va. Code § 24.2-953. Flow_9 Flow_10 Decision: Is the committee still active? If so, continue the normal filing cycle; if not, file a final report. See Va. Code § 24.2-948.4. Flow_10 Flow_Continue Flow_Close File the final report and dissolve the committee once it is no longer active. See Va. Code § 24.2-948.4. Flow_Close Flow_11 The committee has filed its final report and is dissolved, or remains in compliance with ongoing reporting. Flow_11 total <= 200 total > 200 office == "state" office == "local" prohibited == true prohibited == false amount > 5000 and days_to_election <= 12 not(amount > 5000 and days_to_election <= 12) period == "pre_election" period == "periodic" period == "annual" active == true active == false ===== IV. DMN Decision Tables (gateway logic) ===== The exclusive gateways in the model above correspond to the following DMN-style decision tables. Each row maps an input condition to an outcome and the governing Code of Virginia section. ==== Decision 1 — Committee Formation Threshold ==== ^ Input: calendar-year total ^ Outcome ^ Authority ^ | ≤ $200 | No committee or reporting required | § 24.2-945.1 (definition of "candidate"/"contribution") | | > $200 | Must file Statement of Organization | § 24.2-947.1 | ==== Decision 2 — Filing Jurisdiction ==== ^ Input: office sought ^ Outcome ^ Authority ^ | Statewide / General Assembly | File electronically with ELECT | § 24.2-948.1 | | Local office | File with local general registrar | § 24.2-948.1 | ==== Decision 3 — Prohibited Contribution Screen ==== ^ Input ^ Outcome ^ Authority ^ | Contribution from prohibited source / public funds | Refuse or refund | § 24.2-945.2 | | Contribution during regular session (certain officeholders) | Refuse or refund | § 24.2-947.5 | | Otherwise permitted | Record and itemize | § 24.2-947.3 | ==== Decision 4 — Large Pre-Election Contribution ==== ^ Input ^ Outcome ^ Authority ^ | Single contribution > $5,000 within 12 days of election | File special report within 24 hours | § 24.2-947.9 | | Otherwise | Report in normal cycle | § 24.2-947.3 | ==== Decision 5 — Filing Schedule ==== ^ Input: timing ^ Report due ^ Authority ^ | 8 days before primary/general | Pre-election report | § 24.2-947.3 | | Election year (quarterly / post-election) | Periodic report | § 24.2-947.3 | | Non-election year | Annual report by Jan 15 | § 24.2-947.4 | ==== Decision 6 — Committee Status ==== ^ Input ^ Outcome ^ Authority ^ | Committee still active | Continue periodic filing | § 24.2-947.3 | | Committee inactive / campaign ended | File final report and dissolve | § 24.2-948.4 | ===== V. Enforcement ===== Late or incomplete filings are subject to civil penalties assessed by ELECT or the local electoral board (§ 24.2-953 et seq.). Knowing and willful violations may carry additional penalties. The full schedule of deadlines and penalty amounts is published by ELECT. ===== VI. Related Pages ===== * [[virginia|Virginia — Commonwealth Process Guide]] * [[https://www.elections.virginia.gov/candidatepac-info/campaign-finance-disclosure-act/|ELECT — Campaign Finance Disclosure Act]] * [[https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title24.2/chapter9.3/|Code of Virginia — Title 24.2, Chapter 9.3]] //Disclaimer: This page is a process reference, not legal advice. Always verify deadlines and thresholds against the current Code of Virginia and ELECT guidance.//