Compliance Connections

With a busy state election cycle behind us, spring is an ideal time to give your Political Action Committee (PAC) a thorough cleaning. These checklist items should be part of your regular PAC maintenance. But if you haven’t asked yourself these questions in a while, now is an ideal time. 

Statement of Organization/Designation of Treasurer

1. Are your Treasurer and Deputy Treasurer listed correctly?
2. Is all contact information still accurate?
3. Is your disclosure of affiliated PACs up to date?
4. If you are required to keep a copy of your federal Statement of Organization on file with state regulators (Ohio requires this of any federal PAC that wishes to make contributions to state and local candidates), is your filing current?

Bank Accounts

1. Have you reconciled the PAC balance and the bank balance? Preferably, this reconciliation should be done by someone other than the person responsible for daily PAC operations.
2. Have you reviewed bank statements for unauthorized transactions?  
3. Do you know where PAC credit/debit cards are?
4. Are both the Treasurer and the Deputy Treasurer authorized signers on the bank account? Have you removed old Treasures from being an authorized signer?

Internal Controls

1. Do you have a policy that requires checks over a certain amount to be signed by two people? If not, consider adopting one. If so, is the policy being followed?
2. Is your PAC board up to date on PAC activity?
3. Have you calendared all filing deadlines and made note of current contribution limits? New state contribution limits became effective in February 2025.
4. Are all contributions promptly deposited into the PAC account?
5. Have you reviewed and updated your solicitation materials to ensure they comply with Ohio or federal law?
6. Has your PAC Treasurer or designee taken a training course or reviewed guidance materials to remain updated on recent developments and requirements?    

While solidifying the answers to these questions may be less satisfying than decluttering that spare bedroom closet, keeping your systems, processes, and information up to date promotes compliance — especially during harried election seasons. Who knows? Crossing these items off the list may even bring you and your team some joy this spring.