Who must file: SECOND FRIDAY PRE-ELECTION (Cycle 5) REPORTS are required to be filed by all candidates appearing on the ballot and all political committees and lobbyists that have made expenditures to influence the election of such candidates. In 2008, offices appearing on the ballot include the following:

ATTORNEY GENERAL
AUDITOR GENERAL
STATE TREASURER

SENATOR IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

REPRESENTATIVE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Filing deadline: Cycle 5 Reports are to be complete as of Monday, October 20th, 2008. The deadline for filing Cycle 5 Reports is the close of business on Friday, October 24th, 2008.

Smart Client:  Campaign finance management and filing software called Campaign Finance Smart Client is available free of charge from the Philadelphia Records Department. The software is intended to allow campaign finance administrators to maintain contribution and expenses databases easily during the periods leading to filing deadlines and then file their required campaign finance records quickly and efficiently. The software can be downloaded here.

The Smart Client software contains many features to support campaign finance filing, such as the ability to maintain records from cycle to cycle and print reports for filing with the City Commissioners office. Samples of Smart Client features:

• Maintain records from cycle to cycle and year to year
• Easily file Campaign Finance Statements and Reports
• Print reports required by City Commissioners? office
• Electronically validate Filer ID
• Print transaction Report
• Produce 24-Hour Contribution/Expenditure and Independent Expenditure Reports
• Print Affidavit

Other supported filing methods: Philadelphia law requires electronic filing of campaign finance records. Philadelphia accepts submission of campaign finance reports using the following methods:

1. Smart Client filing software;
2. submission of text files via the Philadelphia Campaign Finance filing website;
3. submission of individually-entered records via the Campaign Finance filing website;
4. submission of text files on CD delivered to the Campaign Finance customer service filing headquarters (see below) or Department of Records main office in Room 156, City Hall;

Campaign finance customer service headquarters: For Cycle 5, the temporary filing headquarters will again be available for the convenience of Philadelphia filers. The filing headquarters will be located in the Marriott Residence Inn, One East Penn Square (corner of Market and Juniper, across the street from City Hall). The room will be identified on the hotel's information board, labeled "Philadelphia Campaign Finance Filing Center" and easily-accessible from the lobby.

Filers wishing to enter their records using city computers or needing assistance with any method of electronic filing are urged to come to the filing headquarters during filing week.
 
The filing headquarters will be open and customer service staff available from Monday, October 20th, through Friday, October 24th from 9 AM until 6 PM each day. Computer workstations will be available for those filers wishing to input campaign finance records onsite.

For additional information:
For information about Pennsylvania's campaign finance filing legal requirements, please contact the Campaign Finance Division at (717) 787-5280 or via e-mail at ra-bcel@state.pa.us, or visit their website.

For questions about Philadelphia's campaign finance laws and reporting requirements, please refer to the Philadelphia Board of Ethics website or call (215) 686-9450.

For information about acceptable electronic filing methods and procedures for Philadelphia, please review the Philadelphia Records Department's Campaign Finance website, send email to campaign.finance@phila.gov or call the Records Department at (215) 686-2225.