Montana Code Annotated
Part 2. Campaign Finance
13-37-226. Time for filing reports

13-37-226. Time for filing reports. (1) Except as provided in 13-37-206 and 13-37-225(3), a candidate shall file reports required by 13-37-225(1)(a) containing the information required by 13-37-229, 13-37-231, and 13-37-232 as follows:
(a) quarterly, due on the 5th day following a calendar quarter, beginning with the calendar quarter in which funds are received or expended during the year or years prior to the election year that the candidate expects to be on the ballot and ending in the final quarter of the year preceding the year of an election in which the candidate participates;
(b) except as provided in subsection (4)(a), the 20th day of March, April, May, June, August, September, October, and November in the year of an election in which the candidate participates;
(c) within 2 business days of receiving a contribution of $250 or more if the candidate is a candidate for a statewide office or $125 or more for any other candidate if the contribution is received between the 15th day of the month preceding an election in which the candidate participates and the day before the election;
(d) within 2 business days of making an expenditure of $250 or more if the candidate is a candidate for statewide office or $125 or more for any other candidate if made between the 15th day of the month preceding an election in which the candidate participates and the day before the election;
(e) semiannually on the 10th day of March and September, starting in the year following an election in which the candidate participates until the candidate files a closing report as specified in 13-37-228(3); and
(f) as provided by subsection (3).
(2) Except as provided in 13-37-206, 13-37-225(3), and 13-37-227, a political committee or a joint fundraising committee shall file reports required by 13-37-225(1)(a) containing the information required by 13-37-229, 13-37-231, and 13-37-232 as follows:
(a) quarterly, due on the 5th day following a calendar quarter, beginning with the calendar quarter in which the political committee or the joint fundraising committee receives a contribution or makes an expenditure after an individual becomes a candidate or an issue becomes a ballot issue, as defined in 13-1-101(6)(b), and ending in the final quarter of the year preceding the year in which the candidate or the ballot issue appears on the ballot;
(b) except as provided in subsection (4)(b), the 30th day of March, April, May, June, August, September, October, and November in the year of an election in which the political committee or the joint fundraising committee participates;
(c) within 2 business days of receiving a contribution, except as provided in 13-37-232, of $500 or more if received between the 25th day of the month before an election in which the political committee or the joint fundraising committee participates and the day before the election;
(d) within 2 business days of making an expenditure of $500 or more that is made between the 25th day of the month before an election in which the political committee or the joint fundraising committee participates and the day before the election;
(e) quarterly, due on the 5th day following a calendar quarter, beginning in the calendar quarter following a year of an election in which the political committee or the joint fundraising committee participates until the political committee or the joint fundraising committee files a closing report as specified in 13-37-228(3); and
(f) as provided by subsection (3).
(3) In addition to the reports required by subsections (1), (2), and (4), if a candidate, political committee, or joint fundraising committee participates in a special election, the candidate, political committee, or joint fundraising committee shall file reports as follows:
(a) a report on the 60th, 35th, and 12th days preceding the date of the special election; and
(b) 20 days after the special election.
(4) (a) A candidate for a municipal office who participates in an election held in an odd-numbered year shall file the reports required in subsection (1) on the 20th day of June, July, August, September, October, and November of the year of the election in which the candidate participates.
(b) A political committee that participates in a municipal election held in an odd-numbered year shall file the reports required in subsection (2) on the 30th day of June, July, August, September, October, and November of the year of the election in which the committee participates.
(5) Except as provided by 13-37-206, candidates for a local office and political committees that receive contributions or make expenditures referencing a particular local issue or a local candidate shall file the reports specified in subsections (1) through (4) only if the total amount of contributions received or the total amount of funds expended for all elections in a campaign exceeds $500.
(6) A report required by this section must cover contributions received and expenditures made pursuant to the time periods specified in 13-37-228.
(7) A political committee may file a closing report prior to the date in 13-37-228(3) and after the complete termination of its contribution and expenditure activity during an election cycle.
(8) For the purposes of this section:
(a) a candidate participates in an election by attempting to secure nomination or election to an office that appears on the ballot; and
(b) a political committee or a joint fundraising committee participates in an election by receiving a contribution or making an expenditure.
History: En. 23-4778 by Sec. 3, Ch. 480, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 23, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 23-4778(3) thru (6); amd. Sec. 256, Ch. 571, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 339, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 75, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 20, Ch. 10, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 208, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 18, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 86, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 16, Ch. 401, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 25, Ch. 481, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 252, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 274, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 53, Ch. 297, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 6, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 295, L. 2013; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 259, L. 2015; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 48, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 63, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 429, L. 2019; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 158, L. 2021; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 191, L. 2021; amd. Sec. 17, Ch. 494, L. 2021; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 571, L. 2021.